$3.66 DESIGNATED AREAS HIGHER © 2024 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024 latimes.

com

South
Bay oil
refineries
to close
in 2025
Phillips 66’s facilities
in Wilmington and
Carson employ 900
and produce about 8%
of the state’s gasoline.
By Laurence
Darmiento

Over more than 100 years,

the Wilmington and Carson
oil refineries have pumped
out millions of barrels of gas-
oline, filling the thirsty cars
of Southern California’s free-
way-driving motorists.
Now, in an abrupt move
that reflects the tectonic in-
dustry shifts driven by cli-
Photographs by Allen J. Schaben Los Angeles Times mate change, the transition
VISITORS at La Jolla Cove photograph wildlife this month. Experts advise people to stay 20 to 30 feet from sea lions on the small beach. to electric vehicles and de-
mands for cleaner air,
Phillips 66 announced

Tourists adore the sea lions in

Wednesday that late next
year it will close the twin re-
finery complex that pro-
duces about 8% of the state’s
gasoline.

La Jolla — locals, not so much

The Houston company,
which has operated the re-
fineries since its 2012 spinoff
from ConocoPhillips, said it
would replace their output
with sources “inside and

Thriving population’s nonstop barking and stench irritate some residents outside its refining network”
and with renewable diesel
and sustainable aviation fu-
By Jack Flemming els from its San Francisco
Bay Area refinery.
“Phillips 66 remains com-
La Jolla’s coastline is being con- Since then, a battle has been brew- mitted to serving California
quered. ing over to whom La Jolla’s beaches be- and will continue to take the
Its colonizers have made their home long. Some longtime locals want the necessary steps to meet our
in the seaside neighborhood’s rocks, sea lions out, claiming that California’s commercial and customer
terraces, beaches and caves. They coast belongs to its people. Activists demands,” said Mark
make their presence known by barking want increased protection for the sea li- Lashier, the company’s
and wailing all day and night. And they ons, many of which have died due to hu- chairman and chief execu-
absolutely reek. man contact. tive. “We understand this de-
They’re sea lions — and they’re here And over the last few years, a new cision has an impact on our
to stay. group has entered the conversation: employees, contractors and
Unlike harbor seals, which have oc- the rest of the world. As sea lion videos the broader community. We
cupied La Jolla’s Children’s Pool Beach go viral — some cuddly-looking, some will work to help and sup-
since the 1990s, the sea lions are a newer giant and combative — busloads of port them through this tran-
phenomenon. Sightings stretch back to tourists haul in to La Jolla every week, sition.”
the early 2000s, but the creatures and thousands of others blast their About 600 employees and
started pupping — having babies — thoughts on social media. 300 contractors currently
around Point La Jolla roughly a decade AN ADULT sea lion checks on a young one The sea lion presence is a sign of na- operate the refinery com-
ago. as they rest on the stairs at La Jolla Cove. [See Sea lions, A5] plex, which also produces
diesel and jet fuel.
The complex consists of
two facilities five miles apart
in Wilmington and Carson,
linked by pipeline, about 15

WARRANT AI is still auditioning in Hollywood miles southeast of Los Ange-

les International Airport.
The Wilmington facility was

ISSUED IN Despite hype, few deals have closed between tech firms and studios built in 1919 and the Carson
refinery was built four years
[See Refineries, A7]

POLICE By Wendy Lee and

Samantha Masunaga
cheaper.
What the tech companies
wanted was access to troves
the hype and anticipation,
not much has come of those
talks.
the-scenes processes such
as storyboarding.
But none of the major
Dodgers-Mets
KILLING Earlier this year, OpenAI
and other artificial intelli-
of footage and intellectual
property from series and
films that they could use to
The most prominent
partnership was one an-
nounced last month be-
studios have announced
similar partnerships, and
they’re not expected to until
Game 4 coverage
Read about Thursday
gence companies wooed train and support their com- tween New York-based AI 2025, said people familiar
night’s NLCS result at
Hollywood studios with the plex models. It’s the kind of startup Runway and “John with the talks who were not
latimes.com/sports
A former LAPD futuristic promise of AI tools thing AI technology needs to Wick” and “Hunger Games” authorized to comment.
and in our Playoffs
that they said could help feed off of in order to create studio Lionsgate. Under There are many reasons
officer is being sought make the business of cre- stuff, like videos and script that deal, Runway will cre- for the delay. AI is a compli- Extra at latimes.com/
for the 2015 shooting ating movies and television notes. ate a new AI model for Li- cated landscape where regu- enewspaper.
shows faster, easier and So far though, despite all onsgate to help with behind- [See AI, A7]
of a man in Venice. Harris, Trump
go outside base
By James Queally,
Keri Blakinger Vice president sits
down with Fox News,
and Libor Jany

An arrest warrant has

been issued for a former Los
Alleged architect of Oct. 7 attack killed while former president
courts Latinos on Uni-
vision. NATION, A4
Angeles police officer who
shot and killed an unarmed by Israeli troops in the Gaza rael, for the United States,
Bank is accused
homeless man in Venice Hamas leader Sinwar’s Strip, Israel said Thursday. and for the world,” President of intimidation
Beach in 2015, marking a Sinwar’s killing in an ap- Biden said. Vice President Wells Fargo workers
dramatic reversal of a past death in an encounter parently surprise encounter Kamala Harris, campaign- say some employees
decision not to file charges in with Israeli forces with Israeli forces marked ing for the presidency in the were fired ahead of a
the case, multiple officials the end of an intense year- battleground state of Wis- vote on a unionizing
with direct knowledge of the ends yearlong hunt for long hunt by Israeli and consin, said Sinwar’s death effort. BUSINESS, A6
situation told The Times. catalyst of Gaza war. American spy agencies for “gives us an opportunity to
Clifford Proctor, who the Hamas leader, who was finally end the war in Gaza.” Weather
served as an LAPD officer believed to be hiding in the Israel accused Sinwar of Turning sunny.
By Nabih Bulos,
for about a decade, fired two group’s vast underground planning the Oct. 7, 2023, at- L.A. Basin: 76/54. B6
fatal shots into the back of Tracy Wilkinson network of tunnels in Gaza. tack in which Hamas-led
Brendon Glenn, a 29-year- and Laura King But ultimately, the fatal militants broke through the For the latest news,
old homeless man, after a confrontation caught Sin- Gaza fence and stormed a go to latimes.com.
dispute with a bouncer out- BEIRUT — Yahya Sin- war — wiry and silver- string of Israeli farming Printed with soy inks on
side a bar near the Venice war, the secretive and shad- bearded, with distinctive communities and an open- partially recycled paper.
Speedway in May 2015. owy alleged mastermind of dark brows and protruding air music festival, killing Adel Hana Associated Press
Two law enforcement of- the Hamas-led onslaught of ears — above ground, in the about 1,200 people and seiz- NEWS OF Hamas chief
ficials with direct knowledge just over a year ago in south- war-wrecked southern Gaza ing some 250 hostages. Yahya Sinwar’s demise
of the case said an arrest ern Israel that triggered a city of Rafah. The remains of the slain fueled hope of a negotiat-
[See Officer, A7] devastating war, was killed “This is a good day for Is- [See Sinwar, A10] ed end to the Gaza war.

Get breaking news, instantly.

Download the app for up-to-the-minute alerts.
A2 F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 L AT I M E S . C O M

PERSPECTIVES

We have to discuss Trump’s deepening madness

thing the Justice Depart- damning exposure of truly
His recent comments ment did yesterday, where damaging live events and
Virginia cleaned up its voter the increasing difficulty he
and a rally where he rolls and got rid of thou- has answering basic policy
just listened to music sands and thousands of bad questions that he deems are
votes. And the Justice De- hostile and unfair.
are stark proof of his partment sued them, that He’s scheduled to then
waning mental acuity. they should be allowed to host a high-dollar fundrais-
put those bad votes, those er at Mar-a-Lago, where the
illegal votes, back in and let aging candidate will prob-
LORRAINE ALI
the people vote. So I haven’t ably say something that
NEWS AND
CULTURE CRITIC
gotten over that. A lot of should disqualify him from
people have seen that, and rerunning for office, but it
they can’t even believe it.” won’t.
Donald Trump’s cogni- Micklethwait inter- He already called his
tive decline has a jected, “The question was opponent, Vice President
soundtrack. It includes the about Google, President Kamala Harris, “retarded”
Village People’s “YMCA,” Trump.” in front of wealthy donors at
Guns N’ Roses’ “November Trump responded, a dinner in New York. The
Rain,” and Elvis Presley’s “You’ve got to be able to comment barely dented the
“An American Trilogy.” finish a thought because it’s news-o-sphere. Everything
Don’t try to find a theme very important. This is big seems minor after the in-
among the musical num- stuff.” citement of a coup. Every-
bers. There isn’t one. Micklethwait: “You’ve thing about his deviant
The only commonality is gone from the dollar to behavior feels like old news.
that they were played Mon- [French President Emman- But it’s worth repeating
day at a Trump town hall Wally Skalij Los Angeles Times uel] Macron.” because it’s important:
event in Oaks, Pa., where LESS THAN three weeks from what’s predicted to be one of the closest elections Trump: “It’s called the Trump is not fit to be presi-
after just five questions and ever, we’re watching one of the candidates melt down to nonfunctional levels. weave. It’s all these different dent. He’s not just a wacky
a program disruption things happening.” guy swaying to his own tune.
caused by two audience terms. aimlessly to Luciano Pava- Micklethwait asked if Wednesday’s pretaped He is an existential threat
members fainting (the room As other columnists and rotti’s version of Schubert’s Google should be broken softball town hall hosted by bent on toppling democ-
was reportedly hot), the political reporters have “Ave Maria” (they played it up. Trump sighed, then Fox News and moderated by racy, no matter if it’s
former president declared, pointed out, we’re running twice at Monday’s town gave this nonanswer: “I just Harris Faulkner allowed wrapped in a Village People
“Let’s not do any more out of ways to describe the hall). haven’t gotten over some- Trump a reprieve from the tune.
questions. Let’s just listen to Mad-King slippage of
music.” Trump, and we shouldn’t
It was then that the man have to at this point. The
who never stops talking proof is in countless hours of
stopped talking. The next 39
minutes provided the stark-
est picture yet of Trump’s
MAGA rally videos, radio
and podcast appearances
and reams of his own mus-
Republicans challenge overseas voting rules
waning mental acuity, set to ings across social media.
a playlist hastily deployed There’s no shortage of ac- ing money to try to turn
by his team. cessible documentation Lawsuits contend them out.
The former president showing the 78-year-old’s The Federal Voting
swayed, stared, paced, slide from strategically such ballots could be Assistance Program, which
bobbed and punched the air unpredictable to perilously part of an elaborate supports military and over-
while South Dakota Gov. incoherent. seas voters, estimates that
Kristi Noem, who was But believing what’s scheme to steal the 2.8 million U.S. citizens of
meant to be moderating the right in front of our eyes is election from Trump. voting age were living over-
Q&A session, tried to play not enough since U.S. poli- seas in 2022.
along. She raised her arms tics as usual began flirting Election officials who
to form the first letter of the with fascism, making reality By Christina A. Cassidy receive their applications
“YMCA” dance — a staple a subjective thought experi- and Nicholas Riccardi “do everything they can to
on wedding reception dance ment from which we can verify that these are eligible
floors since the 1980s — but pick and chose our pre- ATLANTA — The latest voters and not just persons
it appeared Trump had no ferred truths. Now here we method of voting to fall into without any kind of identifi-
idea what she was doing, are, less than three weeks the political crosshairs is the cation,” said Election As-
and he continued to sway to out from what’s predicted to way Americans overseas — sistance Commission mem-
the beat of his own drum be one of the closest elec- including members of the ber Christy A. McCormick.
machine. tions ever, watching one of military stationed abroad — Nell Redmond Associated Press
His team later tried to the candidates melt down to cast their ballots. How do overseas voters ELECTION workers Dawn Stephens and Duane
spin the disaster at the nonfunctional levels. The process is governed register and cast ballots? Taylor prepare ballots to be mailed in Charlotte, N.C.
Greater Philadelphia Expo And I get it. I’d rather be by federal law and imple- Federal law allows quali-
Center as a “total lovefest!” writing about anything else mented by states. In recent fied military or overseas military and overseas bal- What do election officials
“Everyone was so excited at this point because I’m weeks, Republicans have voters to register to vote and lots cast in Pennsylvania in say?
they were fainting so @real- also sick of hearing about been challenging how states request an absentee ballot 2020, 1,363 — or 5% — were With less than a month
DonaldTrump turned to Trump’s “unhinged” behav- handle these voters, some- at the same time, using rejected. That’s a higher before the Nov. 5 election,
music,” wrote Trump cam- ior. But to ignore his decline thing former President what is known as the federal rejection rate than all but now is not the time to raise
paign spokesman Steven is like failing to send out Trump didn’t do in 2020 postcard application, which one state, according to objections to state law that
Cheung in a post on X. storm warnings or wildfire when he and his allies chal- can be submitted electron- federal data. has been in place for 13
Team Trump offered no alerts. But this impending lenged his loss in court. ically in many states. This is The lawsuits filed by the years, said Patrick Gannon,
explanation for why Trump national disaster is the But things have changed, aimed at addressing the Republican National Com- a spokesman for the North
encouraged his audience of man-made sort. with less than a month challenges military and mittee argue that Michigan Carolina State Board of
supporters to vote on Jan. 5 Trump did use his words before election day and a overseas voters can face, and North Carolina should Elections.
— two months after election Tuesday in a one-on-one tight race between Trump such as slow or even un- not allow overseas voters “This lawsuit was filed
day. interview with Bloomberg and Vice President Kamala available mail delivery. who have never lived in their after voting had already
The “total lovefest” News’ editor in chief, John Harris. It’s part of a broader Other accommodations state to vote. begun in North Carolina for
kicked off a week filled with Micklethwait, but given the legal strategy by Republi- include requiring states to the general election,” Gan-
extreme examples of his general incoherence of his cans to position themselves have a system for delivering Why are these claims being non said in a statement.
deteriorating ability to answers, he may as well for postelection challenges ballots electronically. raised now? “The time to challenge the
reason, even in Trump have been shuffling around should Trump lose. The federal postcard The warnings about rules for voter eligibility is
Ballots already have been application asks applicants overseas ballot fraud join a well before an election, not
sent to overseas and military to provide their name, ad- very long list of Trump after votes have already
voters under a federally dress, birth date, Social allegations of rampant been cast.”
mandated deadline. Trump Security number and driv- fraud in U.S. elections, even In Michigan, the relevant
and his Republican allies er’s license number. That though there has been no state laws and procedures
How to contact us contend these ballots could
be part of an elaborate
information is logged and
checked based on state
evidence of any widespread
fraud. Reviews, recounts
also have been on the books
for years, according to state
(800) LA TIMES scheme to steal the election procedures, according to and audits in the battle- election officials. A state law
Home Delivery and latimes.com/mediakit or call from him, a claim for which Tammy Patrick, a former ground states where Trump passed in 1995 says a spouse
Membership Program (213) 237-6176. there is no evidence. Their election official with the disputed his 2020 loss all or dependent of an overseas
For questions about delivery,
Reprint Requests challenge comes as the vot- National Assn. of Election affirmed President Biden’s voter who is a U.S. citizen
billing and vacation holds, or ers who receive the ballots Officials. victory, and his own attor- can register using a parent’s
for information about our For the rights to use articles,
Membership program, please photos, graphics and page are increasingly from groups “It’s not the case that ney general said there was or spouse’s Michigan ad-
contact us at (213) 283-2274 or reproductions, e-mail that are presumed to be anyone in the world can no evidence of fraud. dress.
reprint@latimes.com or call
customerservices
(213) 237-4565. Democratic. apply for a ballot. They still Trump has claimed State election officials
@latimes.com. You can also Here’s a look at the issues have to demonstrate they without evidence that huge said local offices follow
manage your account at Times In Education
myaccount.latimes.com. involved and what’s driving are an eligible American numbers of noncitizens standard procedures to
To get the digital
Los Angeles Times at no the claims. citizen,” she said. vote, that mail ballots are check the identity of all
Letters to the Editor Each person completing forged and that voting those seeking to register to
Want to write a letter to be cost (along with our
published in the paper and newspaper–based teaching Who are these voters? the form must also sign an machines are secretly vote in Michigan. That
online? E-mail materials), contact us at Congress passed a law oath under penalty of per- programmed against him. includes military and over-
letters@latimes.com. latimes.com/tie, or email
Heidi.stauder@latimes.com in 1986 that was signed by jury that the information is The goal of making such seas voters, who are re-
For submission guidelines, President Reagan requiring correct, that they are a U.S. baseless claims has been to quired to renew their status
see latimes.com/letters. The Newsroom
Know something important
states to allow certain citizen, that they are not sow doubt about the reli- every year. Their ballots also
Readers’ Representative groups of citizens to register disqualified from voting and ability of any election he are subject to the same
If you believe we have we should cover? Send a
made an error, or you have secure tip at and vote absentee in federal are not requesting a ballot loses, enabling him to try to checks as those cast by
questions about our latimes.com/tips. To send a elections. Known as the or voting in any other juris- overturn his defeat. nonmilitary and overseas
press release go to the
journalistic standards
newsroom directory at
Uniformed and Overseas diction in the U.S. Politically, Trump has voters, including signature
and practices, our readers’ Citizens Absentee Voting Unlike other voters, tried to distinguish between verification.
representative can be latimes.com/staff.
reached at
Act, or UOCAVA, it applies overseas voters can use an military voters, who tradi- “This is not a legitimate
Media Relations
readers.representative For outside media requests to military members, their address where they have not tionally vote Republican, legal concern — just the
@latimes.com, (877) 554-4000 and inquiries, e-mail families and U.S. citizens lived for several years. and other overseas voters. latest in the RNC’s PR
or online at commsdept@latimes.com. living outside the country. All but 13 states allow The Democratic Party in campaign to spread un-
latimes.com/readersrep.
L.A. Times Store In 2020, states sent more U.S. citizens born overseas August announced it founded distrust in the
Advertising Search archives, merchandise than 1.2 million ballots to but who have never lived in planned to spend about integrity of our elections,”
For print and online and front pages at military and overseas vot- the U.S. to register and vote $300,000 trying to turn out said Angela Benander, a
advertising information, go to latimes.com/store. ers. Of those, more than using a parent’s last resi- overseas voters on behalf of spokeswoman for the Michi-
900,000 were returned and dential address, according Harris, its first expenditure gan secretary of state’s
nearly 890,000 were counted, to data collected by the on that group. office.
A Publication according to data collected Election Assistance Com- “They want to dilute the In Pennsylvania, ballots
Founded Dec. 4, 1881 by the U.S. Election Assist- mission. TRUE vote of our beautiful cast by ineligible voters
Vol. CXLIII No. 320 ance Commission. military and their families,” occur at “extremely low”
LOS ANGELES TIMES Print + unlimited digital rates: Before 2016, military What are the Republicans’ the GOP nominee claimed rates and are investigated,
(ISSN 0458-3035) Seven-day $28/week, $1,456 annually.
is published by the Los Angeles Times, Thursday–Sunday $16/week, $832 members and eligible family claims? of Democrats in a Sept. 23 said Matt Heckel, spokes-
annually. Thursday & Sunday $10/week,
2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, CA
$520 annually. Saturday & Sunday members represented most In Pennsylvania, a group post on his social media man for the state election
90245. Periodicals postage is paid at Los
Angeles, CA, and additional cities. $9/week, $468 annually. Sunday of these voters, according to of Republican members of network. office. Heckel said anyone
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to $8.50/week, $442 annually.
the above address. Monday–Saturday $18/week, $936 the commission. But that Congress is asking a federal It’s likely, though, that who lies on the form faces
annually (also includes Sundays, except
Home Delivery Subscription Rates (all rates 3/31, 5/26, 9/1, and 10/13). Monday–Friday has shifted slightly. In 2020, judge to order county elec- challenges to these voters substantial penalties, in-
include applicable CA sales taxes and apply
to most areas)
$16/week, $832 annually. overseas citizens accounted tions officials to verify the would carry consequences cluding a potential felony
Printed with soy-based ink on recycled newsprint from wood byproducts. for 57.4% of the registered identities and eligibility of for both groups, including conviction, prison sentence
voters. Overall, 40% of all military and overseas vot- the military voters that and fine.
military and overseas bal- ers. They also want ballots Republicans routinely The Democratic Na-
lots were cast in three cast by those voters to be count on to pad their totals tional Committee has filed a
states: California, Florida kept apart from other bal- in close elections. motion to dismiss the Penn-
and Washington. lots for the Nov. 5 election. A Republican National sylvania case.
That shift explains why The lawsuit claims cur- Committee spokesperson
Trump and other Republi- rent practices have created said the litigation is aimed Cassidy and Riccardi write
Download the app. cans may be turning on the “an illegally structured at preventing unlawful votes for the Associated Press and
Discover more. program. While military election process which from diluting lawful ones. reported from Atlanta and
voters are presumed to vote makes Pennsylvania’s elec- “The point of the election Denver, respectively. AP
for the GOP, other overseas tions vulnerable to ineligible integrity lawsuits is to fix writers Mark Scolforo in
voters are widely assumed votes by individuals or the holes that we know exist Harrisburg, Pa., and Julie
to lean Democratic. This entities who could purport as much as possible before Carr Smyth in Columbus,
year, for the first time, the to be UOCAVA-eligible.” the election,” RNC spokes- Ohio, contributed to this
Democratic Party is spend- Out of nearly 27,000 person Claire Zunk said. report.
L AT I M E S . C O M F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 A3

THE WORLD

American B-2s hit Houthi underground bunkers

The Houthis also contin- ter the agreement of the
Stealth bombers strike ue to launch missiles target- cease-fire with the Saudi-led
ing Israel and have shot coalition suggests that the
rebels’ weapons sites down U.S. military MQ-9 group is focused on en-
in Yemen, in apparent Reaper drones. The rebels trenching themselves and
have threatened new at- bolstering their military ca-
message to the group’s tacks in response to Israel’s pabilities,” he wrote. Iran
patron, Iran, as well. ground invasion of Lebanon similarly relies on a network
and its killing of Hezbollah of underground missile
leader Hassan Nasrallah. bases.
By Jon Gambrell Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, at- The nuclear-capable B-2,
tack on Israel that sparked which first saw action in 1999
DUBAI — The U.S. mili- the war killed about 1,200 in the Kosovo war, is rarely
tary unleashed B-2 stealth people and saw 250 others used by the U.S. military in
bombers to target under- taken hostage. Israeli mili- combat because each air-
ground bunkers used by tary action since has killed craft is worth about $1 bil-
Yemen’s Houthi rebels early more than 42,000 Palestin- lion. It has dropped bombs
Thursday, a major escala- ians in the Gaza Strip, hun- in Afghanistan, Iraq and
tion in the American re- dreds more in the West Bank Libya as well. The aircraft
sponse to the group’s at- and more than 2,300 people are based at Whiteman Air
tacks on Mideast shipping in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Base in Missouri and typi-
lanes that appeared to be a combat edges ever closer to cally conduct long-range
warning to Iran as well. a regional war. strikes from there, though
While it wasn’t immedi- The locations named by some B-2s were in Australia
ately clear how much dam- the Houthis on Thursday in September.
age the strikes caused, the correspond to known under- The U.S. last used the B-2
attack appeared to be the ground bases operated by in combat in 2017 against Is-
first use of the B-2 in combat the rebels, who have been lamic State targets in Libya,
in years and the first time Staff Sgt. Whitney Erhart U.S. Air National Guard locked into a stalemated war killing more than 80 of the
the flying wing targeted sites U.S. MILITARY officials say they believe that no civilians were killed in Thurs- with a Saudi-led coalition extremist group’s fighters in
in Yemen. day’s attacks on Houthi sites in Yemen. Above, a Northrop B-2 Spirit in Australia. since 2015 that’s decimated a mission defense officials
In announcing the the Arab world’s poorest na- at the time said disrupted
strikes against the Houthis, on hardened Iranian nuclear tion on damage or casu- sels with missiles and tion. possible militant attacks in
who have been attacking facilities such as Natanz alties. drones since the war in Gaza The Houthis have refur- Europe.
ships for months in the Red or Fordo, as it is the only Austin said the B-2 started in October 2023. bished tunnels that once The B-2’s use in Yemen
Sea corridor over the Israel- aircraft in service that can bombers targeted “five They have seized one vessel held Scud missiles when comes two days after United
Hamas war in the Gaza drop the GBU-57, known hardened underground and sunk two in the cam- Yemen was ruled by strong- Nations special envoy Hans
Strip, U.S. Defense Secre- as the “Massive Ordnance weapons storage locations paign that has also killed man Ali Abdullah Saleh, ac- Grundberg warned that
tary Lloyd J. Austin III made Penetrator.” in Houthi-controlled areas four sailors. cording to an analysis in Yemen’s war could heat back
a point to offer a warning Iran offered no immedi- of Yemen.” Both he and the Other missiles and April by the International up given the Mideast fight-
probably heard in Tehran as ate comment on the strike U.S. Central Command of- drones have either been in- Institute for Strategic Stud- ing and the Houthis’ taking
well. Thursday. Its foreign min- fered no immediate assess- tercepted by a U.S.-led coali- ies. Those sites include the captive U.N. and aid workers
“This was a unique dem- ister has been visiting Arab ment on the damage done. tion in the Red Sea or failed Al Hafa and Jebel Attan mili- in an internationally criti-
onstration of the United nations ahead of an ex- However, Central Com- to reach their targets, which tary bases, the former Presi- cized crackdown.
States’ ability to target facili- pected Israeli retaliatory mand said it believed no ci- have included Western mili- dential House and the “This cycle of retaliation
ties that our adversaries strike over Tehran’s Oct. 1 vilians had been killed. tary vessels. Yemen state television com- is pulling Yemen deeper into
seek to keep out of reach, no missile assault. The Red Sea has become The rebels say they target pound in Sana, analyst Fabi- the regional conflict, jeop-
matter how deeply buried The Houthis’ Al Masirah a battlefield for shippers ships linked to Israel, the an Hinz wrote. ardizing its hopes for peace
underground, hardened or satellite news channel re- since the Houthis began U.S. or the United Kingdom The Houthis have built and stability,” Grundberg
fortified,” Austin said. ported airstrikes around their campaign targeting to force an end to Israel’s what appears to be their own said Tuesday. “Moreover, it
Iran, the Houthis’ main Yemen’s capital, Sana, ships traveling through the campaign against Hamas in large-scale tunnel network distracts from the urgent
benefactor, has targeted Is- which the group has held waterway, which once saw Gaza. However, many of the near Saada as well, Hinz need to address Yemen’s
rael with ballistic missile at- since 2014. It also reported $1 trillion in cargo traffic an- ships attacked have little or added. own internal crisis.”
tacks twice over the last strikes around the Houthi nually. no connection to the con- “The fact that the
year. The B-2 would be used stronghold of Saada. It of- Houthis have targeted flict, including some bound Houthis began constructing Gambrell writes for the
in any American attack fered no immediate informa- more than 80 merchant ves- for Iran. major new installations af- Associated Press.

Zelensky warns 10,000 North Koreans could join Russian forces

sent to fight for Moscow. siles to strike military tar- On Wednesday, he said
Such a move risks “We know about 10,000 gets deep inside Russia, NATO did not have confir-
soldiers of North Korea that steps that have been met mation of claims of thou-
triggering a ‘world they are preparing to send with reluctance by Kyiv’s al- sands of North Korean
war,’ Ukraine’s leader [to] fight against us,” Zelen- lies so far. troops preparing to join the
sky said, calling any North “If we get this sign that we war, but said the Asian na-
says as he holds talks Korean involvement “the will be in NATO, we will feel tion already is “supporting
with EU and NATO. first step to a world war.” that we are not alone,” Ze- the war effort” in other ways
The Ukrainian leader’s lensky said. through its ties with Russia.
comments raised the stakes Hungarian Prime Min- Zelensky told EU leaders
By Lorne Cook, for his Western allies as he ister Viktor Orban, widely that his troops must keep
Mike Corder met with European Union seen as having the warmest battling Russian forces in
and Raf Casert leaders and then NATO de- ties of any EU leader with Ukraine “while also bringing
fense ministers to discuss Russian President Vladimir the war back into Russia so
BRUSSELS — Ukrainian his “victory plan” to end the Putin, called Zelensky’s plan that Russians can feel what
President Volodymyr Zelen- country’s devastating war “more than frightening” in a war is like and begin to hate
sky said Thursday that Kyiv with Russia. Facebook post and said he Putin for it.”
has intelligence information “If we start now and fol- would urge major EU powers The Ukrainian leader
that 10,000 troops from low the victory plan, we can France and Germany to “be- said he needs to “move some
North Korea are being pre- end this war no later than gin negotiations with the partners forward” on the is-
pared to join Russian forces next year,” he told the EU Omar Havana Associated Press Russians as soon as pos- sue. “And I think only with
fighting against his country, leaders. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY stressed the urgency of sible, in order to find a way the unity in EU we can move
warning that a third nation He told reporters the NATO membership to strengthen Ukraine’s defense. out of this situation.” and can move not only EU
wading into the hostilities plan aims “to strengthen NATO Secretary-Gen- leaders, we can move other
would turn the conflict into a Ukraine” and pave the way delivery, in particular air de- than 21⁄2 years ago. eral Mark Rutte said Thurs- leaders,” he said.
“world war.” for a diplomatic solution to fense systems, ammunition On Wednesday, Zelensky day that Kyiv can rest “abso- A draft copy of EU sum-
Zelensky did not go into end the conflict on Europe’s and missiles” to protect outlined the five-point plan lutely assured that 32 allies mit conclusions reaffirms
further details about the eastern flank. Ukraine’s population and to Ukraine’s parliament are united in making sure the bloc’s “unwavering com-
claim that came a day after “This plan doesn’t de- energy infrastructure. without disclosing confiden- that collectively, we will do mitment to providing con-
U.S. Deputy Secretary of pend on Russian will, only on Zelensky was later shut- tial elements that have been whatever is needed to make tinued political, financial,
State Kurt Campbell said in the will of our partners,” he tling across Brussels to meet presented in private to key sure that Ukraine can pre- economic, humanitarian,
Seoul that Washington and said before addressing lead- with North Atlantic Treaty allies, including the United vail, that [Russian Presi- military and diplomatic sup-
its allies are alarmed by ers at an EU summit. Organization defense min- States. dent Vladimir] Putin will not port to Ukraine and its peo-
North Korea’s military sup- In a statement after their isters. The EU is a key sup- Major points of the plan get his way.” ple for as long as it takes and
port for Russia’s war in talks with Zelensky, the EU porter of Ukraine, a candi- include an invitation for Rutte reiterated that as intensely as needed. Rus-
Ukraine but couldn’t con- leaders called for a “rapid date member of the 27-na- Ukraine to join NATO and Ukraine’s place is among sia must not prevail.”
firm Ukrainian claims that stepping up of military sup- tion bloc, as it fights Russia’s permission to use Western- NATO’s ranks, but he would Thursday’s talks come as
North Korean soldiers were port and acceleration in its invasion that began more supplied longer-range mis- not say when it might join. Ukrainian troops are strug-
gling to hold off better-
equipped Russian forces, es-
pecially in the eastern
Donetsk region, where they

Former Seoul police chief acquitted in fatal Halloween crush are gradually being pushed
back. Kyiv is surviving with
Western help, but Ukraine
says it is coming too slowly.
lice also ignored hotline calls about the situation in Itae- said the ruling was “dishon- Lithuanian President Gi-
Grieving relatives and placed by pedestrians who won before the crush on Oct. est” and “impossible to tanas Nauseda criticized
warned of swelling crowds 29, 2022, this information understand” and called for slow Western decision-mak-
their advocates accuse before the surge turned would not have been suffi- prosecutors to appeal. ing over Ukraine and said it
South Korean court of deadly. Once people began cient for him to recognize “We strongly condemn “would be a great mistake to
getting crushed in an alley the possibility of an incident that the main officials of the think that our hesitance is
not holding high-level near Hamilton Hotel, police of such magnitude. Seoul Metropolitan Police the best way to de-escala-
officials accountable. failed to establish control The court also noted that Agency, who ignored their tion.”
over the site and allow para- Kim had instructed police duties for prevention, prepa- At their summit in Wash-
medics to reach the injured stations in Seoul, including ration and response despite ington in July, the 32 NATO
associated press
in time. Yongsan, to establish plans anticipating that a large members declared Ukraine
Some experts have called to maintain safety during crowd would develop, and on an “irreversible” path to
SEOUL — A South Kore- the crush a “man-made di- Halloween celebrations. who have been denying their membership.
an court found the former saster” that could have been “Based solely on evi- responsibility until now, are But for now, NATO is in a
police chief of the country’s Lim Hwa-young Yonhap prevented with relatively dence submitted by prose- being given a free pass,” the holding pattern. Its biggest
capital and two other offi- KIM KWANG-HO was simple steps such as em- cutors, it’s insufficient to group said. and most powerful member,
cers not guilty over a the most senior police ploying more police and conclude that the defend- The same court last the United States, is facing a
botched response to a Hal- officer indicted over the public workers to monitor ants’ professional negli- month sentenced the former presidential election. Euro-
loween crowd crush that crush in Itaewon in 2022. bottleneck points, enforcing gence and its relationship to chief of Yongsan police sta- pean allies expect little
killed nearly 160 people in one-way walking lanes, and the occurrence or escalation tion, Lee Im-jae, to three movement on Ukraine until
2022. dicted over the crush in Itae- blocking narrow pathways. of this incident are fully es- years in prison and con- a new president takes office
The verdict by the Seoul won, a popular nightlife dis- The Seoul court acquit- tablished beyond reason- victed two of his colleagues in January.
Western District Court drew trict in Seoul. Prosecutors ted Kim of professional neg- able doubt,” the court said in of professional negligence Beyond that, the U.S. and
angry responses from griev- had sought a five-year pris- ligence, saying that prose- a statement. Relatives of the resulting in death, citing Germany remain deeply
ing relatives and their advo- on term for Kim. cutors failed to prove that he victims embraced and cried their failure to properly pre- concerned about being
cates, who accused the court An investigation led by had violated his duties or to outside the court after the pare for the crowd and re- dragged into a wider war
of refusing to hold high-level the National Police Agency establish a connection be- verdict was announced. spond to the crush. with nuclear-armed Russia,
officials accountable for an found that police and local tween his conduct and the “This court just granted The court acquitted Park and they lead a group of
incident that was largely officials failed to plan effec- high toll of deaths and in- immunity to the police for Hee-young, head of the countries that oppose allow-
blamed on a lack of disaster tive crowd control measures juries. The court also acquit- whenever these kinds of inci- Yongsan ward office, and ing Ukraine to join NATO
planning and an inadequate even though they expected ted two lower-ranking police dents happen again!” one of three other ward officials, until the conflict ends.
emergency response. more than 100,000 people to officers who faced similar them shouted. Others scuf- saying that they had no legal
Kim Kwang-ho, former gather for Halloween events charges. fled with security as they authority to control or break Associated Press writers
chief of the Seoul Metropoli- in Itaewon. The court stated that al- tried to approach Kim’s car up crowds. Cook and Casert reported
tan Police Agency, was the The investigators found though Kim received status as he left the court. Lee and another Yongsan from Brussels and Corder
most senior police officer that Seoul police assigned updates from various de- Itaewon Disaster Be- police official, who received a from The Hague. AP writer
among more than 20 police just 137 officers to Itaewon partments in his agency and reaved Families, a group one-year sentence, appealed Geir Moulson in Berlin
and government officials in- on the day of the crush. Po- the Yongsan police station representing the victims, the ruling this month. contributed to this report.
A4 F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 L AT I M E S . C O M

THE NATION

Harris’ foray on Fox is part of her media focus

Vice president spars with host, while Trump addresses town halls with women and Latinos
unfit and unstable. achieved what we set out to
By Seema Mehta “The American people achieve in the sense that she
and Noah Bierman have a concern about Don- was able to reach an audi-
ald Trump, which is why the ence that is probably been
WASHINGTON people who know him best, not exposed to the argu-
CROSSING, Pa. — Vice including leaders of our na- ments she’s been making on
President Kamala Harris tional security community, the trail and she also got to
and former President have all spoken out ... and show her toughness in
Trump sought to appeal to have said he is unfit and dan- standing tall against a hos-
voters outside their natural gerous and should never be tile interviewer,” spokesman
bases of support in a series president of the United Brian Fallon told reporters
of interviews Wednesday, a States again, including his aboard Air Force Two on a
reflection of how tight the former vice president,” she Wednesday flight between
presidential contest is with said. Trenton and Milwaukee.
less than three weeks until Earlier in the day, Harris Harris’ campaign has
election day. spoke at Washington Cross- seized upon comments
In the most combative ing Historic Park in Bucks Trump made this week
interview since Harris be- County, Pa., a suburb of Phil- about using the military to
came the Democratic presi- adelphia that will be key to go after “enemies from
dential nominee, she dis- determining who wins the within” in the United States.
cussed border policy, tax- state. It’s the site of George The former president re-
payer-funded benefits for Washington’s historic cross- iterated his stance, citing
transgender prisoners and ing of the Delaware River on Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Bur-
President Biden with Fox Christmas night in 1776 bank) and former House
News’ Bret Baier on his pro- alongside 2,000 troops en Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-
gram “Special Report.” route to a significant victory San Francisco) as examples.
Harris, who has repeat- in Trenton, N.J., during the “They are marxists and
edly been asked where she American Revolution. communists and fascists,”
differed with Biden during Underneath a red banner Trump said on Fox News.
their tenure, has struggled Jacquelyn Martin Associated Press reading “Country over “These people, they’re so
to provide examples without VICE PRESIDENT Kamala Harris speaks at an event Wednesday in Pennsylva- party,” Harris appeared sick, and they’re so evil. If
being disrespectful to the nia along with several former Republican elected officials who are supporting her. alongside several Republi- they would spend their time
man who chose her to be his cans, including former Reps. trying to make America
running mate. She offered declared himself “the father statement over and over Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, great again, we would have
her clearest answer on the
matter during the interview.
of IVF.”
Trump said he learned
‘The American again, and as vice president
of the United States, that’s
Barbara Comstock and
Denver Riggleman of Virgin-
— it would be so easy to
make this country great. But
“Let me be very clear, my from Sen. Katie Britt (R- people have a exactly what I’ve done.” ia, Jim Greenwood of Penn- when I heard about that,
presidency will not be a con- Ala.), whom he described as Pressed with a follow-up sylvania and former Trump they were saying, I was, like,
tinuation of Joe Biden’s “just a fantastically attrac- concern about question about her previ- administration official Oliv- threatening. I’m not threat-
presidency, and like every
new president that comes
tive person,” about the ef-
fects on fertility treatment.
Donald Trump, ously expressed support for
using taxpayer dollars to
ia Troye.
Harris said she was
ening anybody. They’re the
ones doing the threatening.
into office, I will bring my life “And within about two which is why the fund gender transition care joined by more than 100 Re- They do phony investiga-
experiences, my profes- minutes, I understood it. I for prison inmates, Harris publicans from across the tions. I have been investi-
sional experiences, and said, ‘No, no, we’re totally in people who know argued that a similar policy nation who are supporting gated more than Alphonse
fresh and new ideas,” Harris
said. “I represent a new gen-
favor of IVF,’ ” Trump said,
adding that he put out a
him best ... have existed during Trump’s ten-
ure. She accused Trump of
her campaign.
“Now, in a typical elec-
Capone. He was the greatest
gangster.”
eration of leadership. I, for
example, am someone who
powerful statement and the
entire Republican Party
said he is unfit fearmongering with ads
about the issue.
tion, you all being here with
me, would be surprising. But
Also on Wednesday,
Trump faced sharp ques-
has not spent the majority of came out strongly in favor of and dangerous.’ The Trump campaign not in this election. Because tions about his views on im-
my career in Washington, access to fertility treat- painted Harris’ appearance at stake in this race are the migration, the Jan. 6 insur-
D.C.” ments. “We want fertiliza- — Kamala Harris, on Fox as a victory for the democratic ideals that our rection at the U.S. Capitol,
Trump sought to appeal tion.” during her Fox interview Republican. founders, and generations of climate change, his handling
to Latinos and women dur- The presidential candi- “Kamala Harris’ inter- Americans, have fought for. of the pandemic and other
ing appearances on Uni- dates’ appearances in front view with Bret Baier was a At stake in this election is issues during a Univision
vision and Fox News. of disparate audiences re- as she responded to his TRAIN WRECK. Kamala the Constitution itself,” she town hall with Latino voters
During a town hall in flect the tightness of the questions, and frequently was angry, defensive, and said. “We are here today be- in Florida. One Republican
front of an all-women audi- presidential race, and how referred to her as “ma’am” once again abdicated any re- cause we share a core belief: explained his concerns
ence in Georgia, the former both are trying to increase rather than “vice president.” sponsibility for the problems that country must come be- about the former president
president was questioned their support among groups But Harris struggled Americans are facing,” fore party.” before saying he wanted to
about championing the 2022 that are traditionally less when pressed on positions spokesperson Karoline A spokesperson for Har- give him an opportunity to
Supreme Court ruling that likely to support them. she had previously taken Leavitt said in a statement. ris said the event with Re- earn his vote back.
overturned the federal right Harris’ half-hour inter- about issues such as allow- “She couldn’t give a straight publicans and the Fox News “Maybe we’ll get your
to abortion and its effect on view with Baier, her first for- ing undocumented immi- answer to a single question interview are aimed at inde- vote,” Trump replied, ac-
reproductive services such mal sit-down with the cable grants to receive driver’s li- because she has no an- pendents and Republicans cording to the New York
as in vitro fertilization. channel, took place amid a censes, free college tuition swers.” who backed candidates such Times. “Sounds like maybe I
After falsely claiming media blitz by the Demo- and free healthcare. Harris sought to turn sev- as former South Carolina won’t, but that’s OK too.”
wide agreement among legal cratic nominee, and was “Listen, that was five eral questions to Trump’s Gov. Nikki Haley who may
scholars for the issue of testy at times. Fox News’ years ago, and I’m very clear fitness for office, repeating be open to supporting the Mehta reported from Los
abortion rights being re- chief political anchor fre- that I will follow the law,” she her increasingly frequent vice president’s candidacy. Angeles and Bierman from
turned to the states, Trump quently interrupted Harris said. “I have made that characterizations of him as “We feel like we definitely Washington Crossing.

Investigators fault Secret Service in Trump assassination attempt

less.” The report said the ad- the report did not say
Panel of experts calls ditional security measures whether anyone should be
taken to protect Trump af- fired.
for new leadership ter the Butler shooting Other recommendations
and reforms after should have been taken be- included: having a unified
fore. command post at all large
gunman tried to kill “To be clear, the Panel events; overhead surveil-
the candidate in July. did not identify any nefari- lance for all outdoor events;
ous or malicious intent be- security plans that specify
hind this phenomenon, but how to mitigate line-of-sight
By Rebecca Santana rather an overreliance on as- concerns out to 1,000 yards
signing personnel based on and who’s in charge; and
WASHINGTON — An in- categories (former, candi- more training on how to get
dependent panel investigat- date, nominee) instead of an protectees out of dangerous
ing the attempted assassi- individualized assessment scenarios.
nation of Donald Trump at of risk,” the panel wrote. The panel said the
a Pennsylvania campaign The panel also noted the agency needs renewed focus
rally says that the Secret “back-and-forth” between on its core protective mis-
Service needs “fundamental the Trump security detail sion while expressing skepti-
reform” and that “another and Secret Service head- cism that the agency should
Butler can and will happen quarters regarding how continue with the investiga-
again” without major many people were needed to tions it currently conducts.
changes in how candidates protect him. Although the Secret Service
are protected. The panel also faulted is well known for what it does
The review faulted the some of the senior-level staff to protect presidents and
Secret Service for poor com- who were involved in the other dignitaries, it also in-
munications that day and rally for what they called a vestigates financial crimes.
failing to secure the building “lack of ownership.” In one “In the Panel’s opinion, it
where the gunman took his example, the panel said a is simply unacceptable for
shots. It also found more senior agent on site who was the Service to have anything
systemic issues at the Gene J. Puskar Associated Press tasked with coordinating less than a paramount focus
agency such as a failure to SECRET SERVICE agents escort Donald Trump offstage after a gunman with a communications didn’t walk on its protective mission,
understand the unique risks clear line of sight shot him from a nearby rooftop during a July rally in Butler, Pa. around the rally site ahead particularly while that pro-
facing Trump and a culture of time and did not brief the tective mission function is
of doing “more with less.” along with another incident ogy and bolster training, and The review questioned state police counterpart be- presently suboptimal,” the
The 52-page report is- in Florida when Trump was was working with Congress why there were two separate fore the rally about how report said.
sued Thursday recom- golfing — a gunman there to increase funding. command posts at the rally communications would be Panel members included
mended bringing in new, never got a line of sight on A look at the report’s key and found other communi- managed. Janet Napolitano, Home-
outside leadership and refo- the president or fired a shot findings and recommenda- cations problems, including It cited the relative inex- land Security secretary
cusing on the Secret Serv- — has led to a crisis of confi- tions: the need to switch radio perience of two agents who under President Obama;
ice’s protective mission. dence in the agency. channels because radio traf- played a role in security for Mark Filip, deputy attorney
“The Secret Service as an The report by a panel of Poor communications, fic from agents protecting the July 13 rally. One was the general under President
agency requires fundamen- four former law enforcement no plan for key buildings First Lady Jill Biden in Pitts- site agent from Trump’s de- George W. Bush; David
tal reform to carry out its officials from national and The panel echoed reports burgh was coming across tail whose job it was to coor- Mitchell, who served in nu-
mission,” the authors wrote state government follows in- that have zeroed in on the the channels of agents who dinate with the Pittsburgh merous state and local law
to Secretary Alejandro N. vestigations by members of failure to secure the building were with Trump. field office on security plan- enforcement roles in Mary-
Mayorkas of the Homeland Congress, the agency’s own near the rally that had a Also, law enforcement ning for the rally. The panel land and Delaware; and
Security Department, the investigators and by Home- clear line of sight to where personnel on the ground said the agent graduated Frances Fragos Townsend,
Secret Service’s parent land Security’s oversight Trump was speaking and used a “chaotic mixture” of from the Secret Service Bush’s assistant for home-
agency, in a letter accompa- body. the communications prob- radio, cellphone, text and academy in 2020, and had land security and counter-
nying their report. “Without The Secret Service said it lems among the Secret Serv- email. And it was unclear been on the Trump detail terrorism.
that reform, the Independ- was making changes. ice and local and state law who had ultimate command only since 2023. Before the But this is not the first
ent Review Panel believes “We have already signifi- enforcement. that day. Butler rally the agent had time that an independent re-
another Butler can and will cantly improved our readi- The panel faulted the done only “minimal previous view has found fault with the
happen again.” ness, operational and or- planning between Secret Questions about mission site advance work or site se- agency. After a man jumped
One rallygoer was killed ganizational communica- Service and the local law en- and a ‘lack of ownership’ curity planning.” the White House fence and
and two others were tions and implemented en- forcement, and said the Se- The report painted a pic- An agent assigned to op- evaded Secret Service to run
wounded when Thomas hanced protective cret Service failed to ask ture of an agency struggling erate a drone detection sys- into the building, a panel a
Matthew Crooks climbed operations for the former about what was being done to think critically about how tem had used the technology decade ago looked into how
onto the roof of a nearby president and other pro- to secure the building: “Rely- it carries out its mission, es- at only two prior events. the agency protects the
building and opened fire as tectees,” the agency’s acting ing on a general understand- pecially when it comes to White House.
Trump spoke. The former director, Ronald Rowe, said ing that ‘the locals have that protecting Trump. Same suggestions from It recommended some of
president was wounded in in a statement Thursday. area covered’ is simply not The panel said agency another review years ago the same changes.
the ear before being rushed The agency said it was good enough and, in fact, at personnel operated under The panel recommended
off the stage by Secret Serv- looking at how to retain per- Butler this attitude contrib- the assumption that they in new leadership, specifically Santana writes for
ice agents. That shooting, sonnel, modernize technol- uted to the security failure.” effect had to “do more with from outside the agency, but the Associated Press.
L AT I M E S . C O M F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 A5

Photographs by Allen J. Schaben Los Angeles Times

ACTIVISTS want increased protection for the sea lions, many of which have died due to human contact. Above, visitors get a close-up view at La Jolla Cove this month.

Sea lions are causing a stink in La Jolla

[Sea lions, from A1] had clients move out of the mal Protection Act, a federal
ture recovering — once over- neighborhood because of law enacted in 1972 making it
hunted mammals growing the foul scent. illegal to hunt, kill or harass
so large in number that “People will have units certain marine mammals.
they’re expanding into a with outdoor patios or open The West Coast sea lion
habitat that humans have windows and they don’t population has soared ever
ruled for more than a cen- want to deal with the smell since, rising from about
tury. anymore,” Becker said. 90,000 in the 1970s to about
Experts say La Jolla is However, he suspected 250,000 today. The vast ma-
just the first beachhead in a that the smell-sensitive jority of them breed on two of
larger campaign to claim, or crowd is in the minority, say- the Channel Islands: San
maybe reclaim, territory. As ing that the sea lions prob- Nicolas and San Miguel.
overcrowding and water ably have helped the hous- But even those, which are
temperatures disrupt the ing market more than hurt largely uninhabited, have
sea lion population, they say it. run out of space to hold all of
new colonies will form up “Many of the properties I California’s sea lions, said
and down the coast — sell are second or third Sharon Melin, the lead sea li-
whether locals want them homes for people, and the on biologist at the National
there or not. novelty of the sea lions ex- Oceanic and Atmospheric
The blubbery beasts ceeds the negativity of the Administration.
have altered La Jolla’s vibe, smell,” he said. Melin has spent her en-
from a place of placid beach Becker is listing an tire career tracking Califor-
nooks to something feeling a oceanfront condo overlook- nia sea lions and said there
bit more feral and briny, akin ing the coast for $6.5 million. are two reasons why the cre-
to the rugged North Coast. He said the current owners atures are leaving their long-
A day on the sand now bought the unit partly be- time home of the Channel Is-
turns into a timorous dance cause of the sea lions, since lands: food and space.
with a wild animal that their seven grandchildren If there’s not enough food
might weigh 500 pounds. would like them. The unit’s for all the mothers to feed
And sea lions, even the cute listing description touts their pups, some will set out
smaller ones, pack a brutal their presence as a positive. to find a new place. And once
bite. “PEOPLE are killing pups by loving them to death,” said Robyn Davidoff, chair of “Dolphins and whales the pups are born, mothers
But the first provocation the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club Seal Society, Above, sea lions at the cove. playing in the surf, baby sea spend a day or two connect-
from the neighborhood’s lions cuddling with their ing with them, learning their
new residents hits you well screeches, wails and farts. a swim, and four men in Club Seal Society. But the parents … in direct view,” it scent so they know whom to
before you set foot on the “The sea lions don’t sleep matching American flag cove is less protected and reads. return to after they spend a
shore: the stench. lol. We thought they would button-downs watch in awe more open to the public. Of Other locals are less en- few days fishing at sea.
“This whole place is like a stop barking at one point as the sea lions swim around the nine pups born there, thused. To make that connec-
giant toilet,” said Emily but they literally bark all her. They start peppering seven died. “They’re a plague,” said tion, they need isolated
Hanson, 9, holding her shirt night long,” reads a Google her with questions. “Sea lion babies are like Jason Sanders, a home- space alone with their pup. If
over her nose while she review of La Jolla Cove “Is anyone allowed to get our own babies,” Davidoff owner. “This is a beach town, it’s too crowded, they’ll find
spoke. Hotel, which sits just across in the water?” said. “They’re extremely vul- not a zoo.” someplace else.
Hanson and her family the street from the colony. “Yeah,” she replies. nerable at birth. They nurse Sanders said the smell, As the Channel Islands
drove in from Escondido for “How close are we al- for around a year, they can’t the noise and the droves of hit carrying capacity, sea li-
a day at the beach, but de- An unlikely colony lowed to get to them?” swim at birth, and they can’t tourists have altered the ons have formed small colo-
cided to leave early after Em- From a geographical “Ask the lifeguard,” she eat solid food for about four community’s identity. nies up and down the coast:
ily got a headache from the standpoint, La Jolla seems says. months.” “I’d like to see the city Año Nuevo State Park, the
inescapable odor that blank- like a natural landing place The lifeguard sits in a Davidoff said the pups step in and find a way to Farallon Islands and the Big
eted the area. for a sea lion colony. The tower behind gates and died from unintentional hu- safely send the sea lions else- Sur coast. Typically, these
Besides their natural coastline, especially at the tinted glass, heard only by man interference: people where,” he said. are isolated areas free of hu-
musk, the sea lions, along pinniped hotspots of Point loudspeaker when he shoos standing at the tideline and Bob Evans serves as man contact.
with the pelicans and cor- La Jolla and La Jolla Cove, a kayaker away from the blocking access to land, president of La Jolla Parks That’s why the La Jolla
morants that roost in the has gentle waters and sandy swim-only zone near the causing pups to drown, or and Beaches, a nonprofit colony is such a head-
area, poop constantly, and beaches with boulders and shore. separating pups when their group that has advocated scratcher.
the sun bakes the feces into rock terraces to snooze up- “Screw it, let’s do it,” one mothers are out getting food for the city to remove sea Melin suggested the
the rocks and bluffs to the on. The surrounding cliffs of- of the men says. by crowding around them, lions from La Jolla Cove. move may have been be-
point where you can smell it fer shelter. One chugs a Budweiser, forming unintentional “Our concern is a sea lion cause of El Niño events and
from blocks away. Some of Females, especially preg- and a minute later, they’re blockades. takeover,” Evans said. “If it heat waves that warmed wa-
the cliffs are white with bird nant ones, don’t have much running into the water for a “This is an amazing continues, there will be ters from 2012 to 2016 or so,
guano. tolerance for disturbances. closer encounter with the place, but people are killing nothing else the city can do shrinking their prey base of
Brockton Villa, a popular Unfortunately, La Jolla, even sea lions. pups by loving them to but close the beach down en- fish. The places they choose
brunch and dinner spot, is with the cliffs, offers disturb- It’s a scene that plays out death,” she said. tirely.” must have enough space for
one of the closest restau- ances aplenty. in different ways throughout “Everyone on social me- females to spread out with
rants to the rookery. Its While aquariums and the afternoon. A tourist attraction dia wants to close our their pups, but also be close
owner, Megan Heine, said zoos separate the humans At one point, a sea lion La Jolla’s sea lions — beaches down, and people enough to food sources so
they experience the animals and animals with cages and pup, mere months old, awk- around 250 to 350, according have called me a vile human that mothers can quickly
with all senses. barriers, La Jolla’s coast now wardly climbs onto the ledge to the Sierra Club Seal Soci- for wanting to preserve load up on fish and get back
“They draw thousands of feels more like a safari, with at the bottom of the stairs ety — make up around only beach access for people,” he to their hungry pups.
visitors to the area, which is the two species coexisting, and lies down in the sun, tak- 0.1% of the West Coast’s total said. Whether La Jolla wants
great for business,” she said. lounging side by side in the ing a respite from the waves. population. But their local “It’s La Jolla vs. the rest of them there or not, it may be
“The smell is not evident in- sand and swimming to- Tourists swarm, pushing effect has been huge. the world, and the rest of the too late. Melin said once a
side of our restaurant, but gether in the waves. phones and cameras inches Tourism around the cove world doesn’t understand breeding colony is estab-
it’s quite pungent at the On a foggy Tuesday in from the pup’s face. has shot up, with visitors what our parks and beaches lished, it’s difficult to stop it.
street level and probably is a October, the creatures put Carla Pennington, a vol- staying at hotels touting sea mean to us.” She said other coastal
deterrent for folks to enjoy on a constant show: a pair of unteer with the San Diego lion views and spending In 2023, the San Diego communities need to be pre-
the area on some days.” pups do flips in the water as chapter of the Sierra Club money at local restaurants, City Council voted to close pared. If a city wants the
The city of San Diego two females joust over who Seal Society, swoops in and coffee shops and boutiques. public access to Point La Jol- added boost of tourism, they
tried to fight the smell by gets to lie on the biggest rock stands guard, warning on- Specialized tours offer snor- la year-round. But as more of can learn from San Fran-
spraying microbial foam on the beach. Meanwhile, lookers not to get too close. kelers and kayakers close- the coastline closes, officials cisco, which removed boats
years ago, but the acrid odor the alpha male makes his “The pups love the stairs, up views of the marine mam- and wildlife advocates fear from Pier 39 and dedicated
returned. rounds, flopping up and so I just try to make sure ev- mals. Gift shops sell sea lion an uptick in violence against the slips to sea lions after a
A group called Citizens down the cove like a massive eryone keeps their dis- stuffed animals and key- the animals. group started hauling out
for Odor Nuisance Abate- inchworm. tance,” Pennington said. chains. A weekend at an Last September, a sea li- there in 1989.
ment sued the city in 2013, Federal law says to stay “This is their home, but obvi- Airbnb near the rookery on was found with a knife But if cities don’t want
claiming that the smell hurt at least 50 yards away from ously we like to come here costs $800 up to $3,000. stabbed into its snout in Ox- the animals and the smells
local businesses. sea lions, but since the too. So we have to coexist.” “I am very concerned nard. In August, a sea lion and sounds that come with
The suit alleged that beaches in La Jolla Cove are This summer was a par- that La Jolla is being run for was shot dead on Bolsa them, they’ll need to be pro-
Floyd Mayweather and his so small, experts advise a ticularly deadly one for the tourists at the locals’ ex- Chica State Beach. active in stopping it. Legal
entourage booked $5,000 distance of 20 to 30 feet, a baby sea lions in the cove. pense,” reader Melinda Mer- deterrents include fences,
worth of rooms at the La Va- guideline that goes largely Pups are born from late May ryweather wrote in the San A population boom rails, lights and noisemak-
lencia Hotel, which over- unheeded. to early July, and most moth- Diego Union-Tribute in Au- Once hunted by Native ers.
looks La Jolla Cove, but left Someone leans in for a ers in the colony give birth gust. Americans on the Channel “As habitats change and
after 15 minutes because of selfie, and others follow. Two over in Point La Jolla, a For homeowners, the sea Islands, then killed for the climate changes, sea li-
the smell. A judge dismissed staircases descend to the rocky area that’s completely lions have become either a bounty by fisherman, sea li- ons will be moving,” Melin
the suit. beach, and people crowd closed to the public. Four of welcome amenity or a rea- ons have endured a hazard- said. “They’ll be looking for
There’s also the sound: onto the steps for a closer 44 pups died — a typical son to skip town. ous history on the West places to rear their young,
guttural grunts and yelps, a view. mortality rate, said Robyn Jay Becker, a real estate Coast. Their comeback coin- and they’ll show up in places
cacophony of barks, A local woman gets in for Davidoff, chair of the Sierra agent in La Jolla, said he has cided with the Marine Mam- we’ve never thought about.”
A6 F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 L AT I M E S . C O M

BUSINESS
Wells workers allege retaliation amid union bid
“We respect our employ- Times reported bank em-
They complain of ees’ rights to vote for or ployees had opened millions
against union representa- of fake deposit and checking
clashes with managers. tion and appreciate their accounts, and often trans-
Some employees are careful consideration of this ferred funds from consum-
decision,” Wall said. “We be- ers’ accounts without their
laid off ahead of a lieve our employees are best knowledge or consent.
scheduled vote. served by working directly Regulators eventually
with Wells Fargo and our slapped Wells Fargo with
leadership, and, within our fines and forced the bank to
By Suhauna Hussain rights, we will continue to overhaul its processes to im-
speak with our employees prove compliance.
After Wells Fargo was about these matters so that Workers point out that
mired in a 2013 scandal over each employee can make an changes made to their de-
employees who opened mil- informed decision.” partment come as govern-
lions of fake banking ac- Unions of bank employ- ment watchdogs have begun
counts, the bank created a ees are unusual. According to ease strict compliance
new centralized unit to re- to an analysis of 2023 data by measures imposed on Wells
view customer complaints the U.S. Department of La- Fargo as a result of the scan-
and employees’ allegations bor, only 1.2% of workers in dal, signaling that the bank
of workplace abuses. the banking and finance in- is nearing the end of more
Now, however, that team dustry are unionized, than a decade of heightened
is upended by its own tur- among the lowest rates of regulatory oversight.
moil as its members have ac- union representation across Roslynn Berkeland, 32,
cused bank officials of ag- industries. who has worked at Wells
gressively trying to block a Workers said uncertainty Fargo for nine years, includ-
unionization drive and firing Justin Sullivan Getty Images about job security, a lack of ing three years in her current
employees in retaliation for WELLS FARGO officials deny that recent layoffs were a response to the ongoing transparency about admin- role in the conduct manage-
their efforts to organize. labor unrest, saying the job cuts were part of planned organizational changes. istrative decisions and con- ment intake department,
Wells Fargo officials are cerns about the bank’s inter- said the layoffs have left a
open about their disfavor of rage of emails disparaging In a video meeting, work- organizing director for the nal checks on misconduct team that is less experi-
the unionization effort but the idea and continued to ers were told they had to Committee for Better led them to try to unionize. enced and “completely over-
deny that the layoffs of 11 em- oppose it in meetings be- switch their cameras on to Banks, a New York-based Particularly jarring, they whelmed.”
ployees in the bank’s con- tween higher-ups and staff, hear from a labor consultant group affiliated with the said, was an announcement On Tuesday she said she
duct management intake according to interviews with hired by Wells Fargo, Communications Workers of that workers who had had been assigned 16 cases
department were a response workers and emails re- Cuadras said. America, the parent organi- worked remotely for years that day, double the number
to the ongoing unrest, saying viewed by The Times. On Oct. 1, Cuadras re- zation of Wells Fargo Work- would need to move to differ- of cases she typically would
they were part of planned or- “I personally don’t be- ceived a message to join a ers United. ent states to work in person, handle.
ganizational changes. lieve that this union can help call, on which she was fired. “Wells Fargo has been or reapply for their jobs alto- “I’m really worried about
The discontent is playing us move forward as a team,” “It was heartbreaking. I sat pulling out all the stops to gether. accuracy and the risk we are
out against the backdrop of a manager wrote in one there and sobbed.” try to convince them to vote The bank, workers said, taking on,” Berkeland said.
a broader push that began email. “I don’t think this “They laid people off days no,” Weiner said. had shifted some of the con- “I don’t know who to ask
last year to unionize employ- union can guarantee any- before voting. Wells Fargo is Wells Fargo spokes- duct management depart- questions to anymore.”
ees of the San Francisco- thing for any of you.” not supposed to taint the person Rachel Wall said the ment’s responsibilities to In response to questions
based bank. In another email, anoth- election process. How can layoffs were routine. employees based in India about concerns that the
Tellers and other em- er manager indicated union- that not be viewed as intimi- “We regularly review and and changed policies and bank has eroded its ability to
ployees at about 20 Wells izing would not help workers dation, days before the adjust staffing levels to align procedures in a manner that properly investigate ques-
Fargo branches so far have better their pay and ben- vote?” Cuadras said. with market conditions and reduced the type and num- tions of misconduct, Wells
voted to join Wells Fargo efits. After their layoffs, the 11 the needs of our businesses. ber of complaints the de- Fargo’s spokesperson said
Workers United, the first- “The CWA has probably employees filed a claim This decision was made ear- partment investigated. that changes the company
ever union at a major U.S. promised you that things against Wells Fargo with the lier this year and has nothing “Management wasn’t lis- has made aim to address in-
bank. can only get better if you vote National Labor Relations to do with the union,” she tening to our concerns about efficiencies in the process
In interviews, current for them, but ask yourself, if Board alleging unfair labor said in an emailed state- changes in our procedures and that its global sites are
and laid-off members of the that were true, why wouldn’t practices. ment. and definitions that would equipped to handle sensitive
conduct management de- every worker in the United The union vote, which be- Wall said that the bank let misconduct slip through information.
partment said clashes with States be in a union?” a third gan last week, will conclude disapproved of the union undetected,” said Heather “We have taken great
management arose after manager wrote in an email. at the end of the month. and stood by its attempts to Rolfes, an attorney in the care in continuing to opti-
they announced in early Kieran Cuadras, 42, who Wells Fargo assured inform employees about its complaint review depart- mize our processes so that
September their intent to began working at Wells workers who were laid off position, but that it re- ment who was laid off. concerns are routed appro-
hold a vote on whether the 48 Fargo as a teller in the Sacra- they would still be able to spected employees’ rights The conduct manage- priately at the outset and re-
members of the department mento area in 2002, said sen- vote in the union election, and would bargain in good ment intake department at viewed in a timely fashion by
would join the union. ior managers would “hijack” but then walked back that faith with employees who Wells Fargo was created in those best positioned to ad-
In response, bank offi- work calls to tell workers claim and contested their choose to be represented by the wake of the scandal that dress or resolve the matter,”
cials sent employees a bar- why they shouldn’t unionize. votes, said Nick Weiner, the a union. erupted in 2016 when The Wall said.

Netflix adds 5 million subscribers, beats Wall St. profit expectations

tations of $5.12, according to ruption, Netflix has “We had a plan to reacceler-
Earnings data suggest Factset. Analysts had also emerged in a leadership po- ate growth, and we delivered
projected revenue of sition that few foresaw al- on that plan. We want to
the streamer’s strong $9.77 billion. most ten years ago,” Morgan build on that success.”
content and password- Netflix’s continued mem- Stanley equity analysts Ben- Netflix has aimed to max-
bership growth comes as jamin Swinburne and imize its revenue by cracking
sharing crackdown are analysts have questioned Thomas Yeh wrote in a note down on password sharing
still paying off. whether consumers are tir- to clients ahead of Netflix’s among users and promoting
ing of paying for additional earnings release. an ad-supported tier, which
streaming services or could The company’s revenue costs $6.99 a month. Both ef-
By Samantha Masunaga potentially cut back on dis- and share of TV time suggest forts are being closely
cretionary spending amid “a long runway of potential watched by analysts to see
Streaming giant Netflix economic uncertainty. growth,” they wrote. how they affect the compa-
has proved there are still legs Netflix’s performance in Netflix said it expects to- ny’s growth and how long
left in its membership the third quarter was tal revenue for 2024 to in- they can boost profits. (Net-
growth, reporting 5 million buoyed by original program- crease 15% compared with flix has said it will stop pro-
new subscribers in its third ming, including the fourth the previous year, which viding quarterly member-
quarter for a total of season of the Lily Collins-led would meet the high end of ship numbers next year.)
282.7 million global mem- drama “Emily in Paris” and Stephanie Branchu Netf lix the company’s growth pro- “As more viewers convert
bers. the dramatized crime series “EMILY IN PARIS,” starring Lily Collins, left, jections. For 2025, the com- to its ad tier, the challenge
The Los Gatos, Calif., “Monsters: The Lyle and helped lift Netflix’s performance in the third quarter. pany projects revenue of will be to keep time spent
company also reported reve- Erik Menendez Story.” The $43 billion to $44 billion, high in the face of advertis-
nue of $9.8 billion for the fis- company said it expects net into the lucrative field of live strength. based on an expected in- ing worsening the user expe-
cal third quarter that ended paid additions — or new sports with its upcoming That same quarter, Net- crease in paid memberships rience,” Emarketer senior
Sept. 30, an increase of 15% memberships — to increase boxing match between flix has the second season of and average revenue per analyst Ross Benes said in a
compared with the same pe- in the fiscal fourth quarter, YouTuber Jake Paul and the Korean thriller “Squid member. statement.
riod a year earlier. Net in- compared with the third Mike Tyson set to stream in Game” and the seventh sea- “Looking into 2025, we’re Though membership
come rose 40% to about quarter, due to “normal sea- November, as well as two son of the reality dating feeling really good about the numbers are up, some ana-
$2.4 billion. sonality and a strong con- NFL Christmas Day games show “Love Is Blind,” which business,” Netflix co-Chief lysts have cited Netflix’s re-
The company reported tent slate.” — events Wall Street ana- premiered this month. Executive Ted Sarandos cent engagement numbers
earnings of $5.40 per share, That slate includes Net- lysts will closely watch as in- “In the aftermath of this said during a company earn- as a sign of potential chal-
surpassing analysts’ expec- flix’s continued expansion dicators of its advertising volatile period of media dis- ings interview on YouTube. lenges ahead. For the first
six months of this year, Net-
flix reported 94 billion hours
viewed, an increase of just 1%
MARKET ROUNDUP from the same period last
year. Faltering engagement

Stocks drift near record highs as data signal strong economy due to paid sharing could
put pressure on Netflix’s
ability to raise prices, Mof-
fettNathanson analyst
Fargo Investment Institute. the latest quarter than ex- Robert Fishman wrote in a
associated press
A separate report, mean- pected. The insurer also cut recent research report.
Major stock indexes while, said fewer U.S. work- its profit forecast for the full Netflix has taken issue
NEW YORK — U.S. Daily Daily % YTD % ers applied for unemploy- year, saying it was dealing with that analysis, saying its
stocks drifted around their Index Close change change change ment benefits last week. with a “timing mismatch” engagement numbers have
record heights Thursday af- Dow industrials 43,239.05 +161.35 +0.37 +14.72 On Wall Street, insurer between Medicaid rates and been strong, particularly
ter the latest signals that the S&P 500 5,841.47 -1.00 -0.02 +22.47 Travelers was the biggest higher claims from custom- when adjusted for the effects
U.S. economy continues to Nasdaq composite 18,373.61 +6.53 +0.04 +22.40 reason for the Dow’s setting ers. of the password sharing
hum. another record. It jumped CSX fell 6.7% after falling crackdown.
S&P 400 3,197.94 +4.82 +0.15 +14.97
The Standard & Poor’s 9% after reporting stronger short of analysts’ profit ex- The company said in its
500 finished virtually un- Russell 2000 2,280.85 -5.83 -0.25 +12.52 profit and revenue for the pectations for the latest third-quarter letter to share-
changed after flirting with EuroStoxx 50 4,947.30 +38.59 +0.79 +9.41 latest quarter than analysts quarter. The railroad com- holders that engagement to-
its all-time high for much of Nikkei (Japan) 38,911.19 -269.11 -0.69 +16.28 expected. Higher income pany also expects only mod- taled about two hours a day
the day. The Dow Jones in- Hang Seng (Hong Kong) 20,079.10 -207.75 -1.02 +17.78 from its investments and est volume growth the rest of per paid membership, on av-
dustrial average added 0.4% Associated Press elsewhere helped cover the year as the Southeast re- erage. Viewership hours for
to its own record set the day greater losses due to Hurri- builds after two major hurri- “owner households” (that is,
before, while the Nasdaq It was a sharp turn- Treasury yields rose after cane Helene and severe wind canes. those not affected by paid
composite was close to flat. around from earlier in the the latest encouraging re- and hail storms in multiple All told, the S&P 500 sharing) rose for the first
Nvidia and other compa- week when a warning from a ports on the U.S. economy. states. slipped 1.0 point, or less than three quarters of this year,
nies in the chip industry major Dutch supplier to the U.S. retailers made more Blackstone also pushed 0.1%, to 5,841.47. The Dow compared with the same pe-
were some of the market’s chip industry, ASML, sent sales in September than in upward on indexes after the rose 161.35 points, or 0.4%, to riod last year, Netflix said.
strongest after global heavy- stocks sinking across the in- August, and underlying investor in real estate, hedge 43,239.05, and the Nasdaq The company said its
weight Taiwan Semiconduc- dustry. Nvidia’s gain of 0.9% growth trends within the funds and other alternative composite edged up 6.53 content offerings this year
tor Manufacturing Co. re- was Thursday’s strongest data were better than econo- investments reported points, or less than 0.1%, to were “patchier than normal”
ported bigger profit for the single force pushing upward mists expected. stronger profit than ex- close at 18,373.61. due to last year’s dual Holly-
latest quarter than analysts on the S&P 500. The strength was “all the pected. It climbed 6.3% after In the bond market, the wood strikes but have
expected. But a 1.4% slide for more impressive in the face Chief Executive Stephen yield on the 10-year Treasury started to pick up again.
TSMC credited strong Google’s parent company, of stretched household fi- Schwarzman said it’s seeing rose to 4.09% from 4.02% late Netflix’s stock rose 5% in
demand related to smart- Alphabet, and a 10.6% tum- nances, particularly among broad-based acceleration Wednesday. The two-year after-hours trading. The
phones and artificial intelli- ble for Elevance Health lower-income shoppers, and across its businesses. Treasury yield, which moves shares closed Thursday at
gence, and its stock that helped keep stock indexes in pre-election jitters,” accord- They helped offset Ele- more closely with expecta- $687.65, down 2%. The stock
trades in the United States check. ing to Gary Schlossberg, vance Health’s tumble after tions for action by the Fed, price has risen more than
jumped 9.8%. In the bond market, market strategist at Wells it reported weaker profit for rose to 3.98% from 3.94%. 45% this year.
L AT I M E S . C O M F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 A7

Phillips to close Wilmington refinery complex

[Refineries, from A1] just before the announce- requiring all new passenger
later, with both operating ment, and was told the clo- cars, trucks and SUVs sold
under multiple owners over sure was a business deci- in California be zero-emis-
the years. sion. sion by 2035, a goal some
“There’s no question we He said that although the have questioned whether
are going to lose refineries timing was somewhat sur- the state can meet as electric
over time, because demand prising, the closure wasn’t, vehicle sales have slowed.
is going to go down as we given the age of the refiner- At the same time, New-
transition to electric vehi- ies, their relatively small size som has put the squeeze on
cles, but I did not expect to and the inefficient layout. drillers, directing the state
see any of them exiting this “That plant has been for to stop issuing fracking per-
quickly,” said Severin sale for years. It hasn’t found mits this year and calling for
Borenstein, faculty director any buyers and I think this the phasing out of oil extrac-
of the Energy Institute at UC has been an economic deci- tion by 2045. He also has
Berkeley’s Haas School of sion on their part. They backed laws restricting
Business. looked at the profitability of drilling.
California “over the me- the place and compared it Hackett noted that
dium term” will have to rely with the other businesses Phillips 66 converted its
more on imports, he said. “I that they have, and it didn’t larger, 1,100-acre refinery in
think part of the response make the cut,” he said. Rodeo to make renewable
the state’s going to need to Factors that played into diesel out of raw materials
consider is how to make sure the decision, he said, in- such as soybean and used
that we can import suffi- cluded an “onerous” regula- cooking oils.
cient gasoline to meet our tory environment that in- The closure of the South
needs.” creases costs, lower demand Bay refinery complex comes
The closure will leave the for gas and a dwindling sup- after long battles with neigh-
state with eight major refin- ply of California crude oil, bors, who have complained
eries — three in the Bay Area forcing the refinery to rely of emissions from the twin
and five in Southern Califor- more on expensive ship- plants — despite tightening
nia, operated by Chevron, Carolyn Cole Los Angeles Times ments from Alaska and for- air quality refinery rules is-
Valero and others — as well A YOUTH football team practices in 2021 in the shadow of the Phillips 66 refinery eign countries. sued by the South Coast Air
as several smaller ones. in Wilmington, which the company will close next year, along with a nearby site. He noted that over the Quality Management Dis-
The Phillips 66 decision last eight years, Phillips 66 trict.
immediately became a polit- “Thanks to Gavin New- Magnasco, the alliance’s 76-branded gas stations. has only broken even on its “Historically, the South
ical football, with Republi- som’s showboating and in- governmental affairs and The company said it has en- West Coast operations, Bay industrial real estate
cans and gas station op- competence, hundreds of regulatory director. “This is gaged Catellus Devel- which include a Washington market has been extremely
erators blaming the policies workers will lose their jobs exactly what happens when opment Corp. and Deca Cos. state refinery, according to tight and this will allow a ton
of California Gov. Gavin while California drivers will our leaders are more con- to examine future uses for regulatory filings. of new inventory and capac-
Newsom. Last weekend, for- face a massive price hike,” cerned with political theater the combined 650-acre site. California energy policy ity that should help the mar-
mer President Trump, in a Assembly Republican than solving real problems.” The governor’s office re- has been driven by the ket by providing more ware-
California campaign stop, Leader James Gallagher of The alliance said higher ferred questions to the Cali- state’s climate goals, first ar- house and distribution
blasted the state for having Yuba City said in a state- gas prices are the result of fornia Energy Commission. ticulated in a landmark 2006 space” around the Port of
the nation’s highest gas ment. “Great work, Gavin.” “exploding overhead costs “The company has com- law and updated two years Los Angeles, said real estate
prices. The California Fuels and to run our stations, costly mitted to minimizing im- ago, which call for the state broker Mike Condon Jr. of
The announcement Convenience Alliance, an in- environmental regulations.” pacts on Californians while to become carbon neutral by Cushman & Wakefield, who
comes in the same week that dustry trade group repre- In a statement, Phillips they continue to meet fuel 2045. helped manage the process
the governor signed a new senting fuel marketers, gas 66 said the decision was “not demands, maintain reliable They include reducing of selecting a development
law that allows the state to station owners and others, related” to the bill signing, supplies, and ensure they fossil fuel consumption 94%, partner for Phillips 66.
require oil refiners to main- directly blamed the legisla- but rather “on consideration take necessary steps to fulfill slashing greenhouse gas Phillips 66 also has been
tain a minimum inventory tion. of multiple factors, including both commercial and cus- emissions by 85% and cut- the subject of controversy
of fuel to avoid supply short- “Unfortunately, the an- future options for the site as tomer needs,” California En- ting air pollution by 71% — over its role in climate
ages that create spikes in nouncement today is not part of Phillips 66’s ongoing ergy Commission Vice Chair ambitious for the world’s change, leading to calls for
gasoline prices. It also au- much of a surprise, as we review of its portfolio of as- Siva Gunda said in a state- seventh-largest economy, the removal of its iconic “76”
thorizes the California Ener- continually warned the Leg- sets.” ment. which ranks behind only sign at Dodger Stadium.
gy Commission to require islature and Administration It also said it was not David Hackett, chair of Texas and Louisiana in re-
refiners to plan for resupply about how [the measure] pulling out of the California Stillwater Associates, an fining capacity. Times staff writer Roger
during refinery mainte- would negatively impact market. Among its other op- Irvine oil consultancy, said A major strategy for Vincent contributed to this
nance outages. supply,” said Alessandra erations are its network of he was contacted by Phillips reaching those goals is a law report.

D.A. issues arrest warrant for ex-LAPD officer in 2015 shooting

[Officer, from A1] cial prosecutor to reopen challenger Nathan Hoch- licly calling for Proctor to Glenn got into an altercation protests and demands that
warrant has been issued for four police shootings in man in November. face manslaughter charges, with a bouncer at a different Proctor face prosecution. He
Proctor, but would not say which his predecessor, An LAPD spokesperson Lacey declined to prosecute bar, Proctor and his partner quit the LAPD in 2017 and
why. Two other people with Jackie Lacey, declined to file declined to comment. Calls Proctor in 2018. Beck did not moved to arrest Glenn, the was later charged with do-
knowledge of the case con- charges against officers, in- and emails to Lacey were not respond to a request for report said. mestic violence by Orange
firmed that Proctor will be cluding Proctor. immediately returned. comment. During the ensuing County prosecutors. That
arrested in connection with Bill Seki, an attorney V. James DeSimone, an Proctor and another offi- struggle, Proctor shot Glenn case resolved in a plea deal
Glenn’s death. who previously represented attorney for Glenn’s family, cer responded to reports of twice in the back while the and Proctor was barred from
All four officials re- Proctor, said he had not said they have “always felt Glenn and his dog causing a officers were wrestling with owning a gun for a decade.
quested anonymity because heard from the former offi- strongly that the officer who disturbance after he’d been him on the ground. In 2016, In March 2018, Lacey re-
they were not authorized to cer in years and had not been shot Brendon Glenn in the kicked out of the Bank of Proctor’s attorney said leased an 83-page memo an-
discuss the pending case contacted by the district at- back should be prosecuted.” Venice restaurant on Wind- Glenn was reaching for his nouncing her decision not to
publicly; none would con- torney’s office, though he ac- “While this doesn’t ward Avenue, according to a partner’s gun, but footage charge Proctor. The office’s
firm the specific charges knowledged rumors about change the profound loss 2018 report issued by the dis- from the scene contradicted analysis provided a different
against the former officer. It the warrant have been float- they suffered, they are grate- trict attorney’s office. that claim. interpretation of the video
did not appear that a court ing in police circles in recent ful that there will be an op- Glenn’s dog moved toward Glenn’s hand was never than Beck and the Police
hearing had been scheduled weeks. portunity to achieve justice Proctor, who threatened to seen “on or near any por- Commission, arguing it did
or that Proctor had been ar- “I’m surprised that in the criminal courts,” De- shoot the animal before or- tion” of the holster, accord- not disprove Proctor’s claim
rested as of Thursday morn- they’re reviewing it at this Simone said. dering Glenn to leave the ing to a report made by the that Glenn was reaching for
ing. time … I find it interesting Glenn’s death has been a area, the report said. Glenn city’s Police Commission in his partner’s weapon. A
The Los Angeles County that they would do some- point of tension in the city for responded by hurling sev- 2016, and Proctor’s partner DNA analysis didn’t rule out
district attorney’s office did thing like this so close to the years. While the civilian Po- eral racial slurs at Proctor. never made “any statements the possibility that Glenn
not immediately respond to election. The timing of it is lice Commission found it un- Both men are Black. or actions” suggesting grabbed for the gun, but it
a request for comment. suspicious,” Seki said, refer- justified and then-Police Glenn walked away from Glenn was trying to take the didn’t confirm he touched it
Early in his term, Dist. Atty. ring to Gascón’s dire hopes Chief Charlie Beck took the the area and the officers fol- gun. either, according to the re-
George Gascón hired a spe- of winning reelection against unprecedented step of pub- lowed, the report said. After The shooting sparked port.
An independent use-of-
force expert hired by the dis-
trict attorney’s office de-
scribed Proctor’s actions as

AI still waiting for a starring role at Hollywood studios consistent with facing a
threat to his life, the report
said. Proctor’s interview
with investigators was re-
[AI, from A1] about how do we harness Casey Affleck, to try out the creators who allege their might work. dacted in the file.
lations and legal questions this responsibly?” said Javi tools and use the AI-gener- work was scraped and used Under the deal, Runway “A duty to file criminal
surrounding the technology Borges, who leads a team ated video clips in larger to train models without would create an AI model for charges exists only when our
are still evolving. Plus, that advises entertainment pieces. Jason Blum, Blum- their permission. Several Lionsgate that would be office determines that the
there’s some skepticism and media companies for house’s founder and chief music labels and publishers trained on a small number of admissible evidence is of
over whether audiences professional services firm executive, said in a state- also sued AI-related busi- titles and used by the studio such a compelling force that
would accept films made pri- EY. “It’s one of those things ment that the company nesses. and designated filmmakers. it would warrant a convic-
marily with AI tools. There where AI is the big buzzword “welcomed the chance” to OpenAI’s position on Lionsgate’s model would be tion after considering the
are questions over how stu- right now, but everybody’s test the technology and give copyright disputes has given used to make production most plausible, reasonable
dio libraries should be val- trying to understand what notes while it was still in de- some in Hollywood pause. and marketing processes and foreseeable defenses,”
ued for AI purposes and con- the opportunity is.” velopment. The company has expressed more efficient, not to repli- Lacey’s office wrote in the
cerns about protecting intel- The Alliance of Motion One thing standing in the an expansive view of “fair cate likenesses of actors, a memo. “That is not the case
lectual property. Picture and Television Pro- way of more deals getting use” doctrine, which allows person familiar with the deal here.”
Plus, AI is highly contro- ducers, which represents done is that there’s no uni- for limited use of copy- said. The Lionsgate data At the time, it had been
versial in the entertainment the major studios in labor versally accepted standard righted material without the would also not be used to nearly two decades since the
industry, where there’s wide- negotiations, declined to for what a film and TV li- owner’s permission. OpenAI train Runway’s other AI district attorney’s office last
spread mistrust of the tech- comment for this article. brary might be worth to an says entities that don’t wish models. filed criminal charges
nology companies given The studios themselves ei- AI company. to participate in AI training No money changed against a law enforcement
their more “Wild West” atti- ther declined to comment or In Hollywood, a studio’s can opt out, but this is of lit- hands in the deal. Lionsgate officer in an on-duty shoot-
tude about intellectual did not respond to requests. vault is valued based on the tle comfort to copyright and Runway declined to ing. Lacey’s perceived reti-
property. The mere mention AI is attractive to studios popularity of the material. owners. comment on the financial cence to prosecute police be-
of AI is activating to many in at a time when they’re look- But those metrics may not “Potential deals are in the terms. came a major hurdle to her
the business, who fear text- ing for ways to cut costs as be as relevant to AI compa- shadow of copyright uncer- “I think we’re now com- bid for a third term. Gascón
to-image and video tools will streaming continues to nies, which are seeking a tainty and the harsh recep- ing to terms that this is a presented himself as the
be used to eliminate jobs. drive cord-cutting and the wide variety of data to train tion of creatives and con- very powerful technology in- best hope of holding police
The Lionsgate-Runway theatrical box office strug- their AI models, rather than sumers who want to contin- deed, but it’s not a magical accountable for excessive
deal, for example, set off a gles to come back from the just IP that they can exploit. ue the history of human-cen- black box that makes mov- force when he successfully
wave of concern among COVID-19 pandemic. For that reason, an obscure, tered storytelling,” Duncan ies with no control,” said challenged her in 2020.
some creatives, many of Last month, Warner experimental documentary Crabtree-Ireland, national Runway Chief Executive After his election,
whom quickly responded to Bros. Discovery said it may be more valuable than a executive director and chief Cristóbal Valenzuela. Gascón hired former federal
the announcement by call- would use Google AI tech- popular franchise film. negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, As studio talks go on, AI prosecutor Lawrence Mid-
ing up their agents. The Di- nology to power captions on “Savvy, forward-looking said in an email. companies are working to dleton and directed him to
rectors Guild of America unscripted programming, executives at companies Major Hollywood studios get their tools in the hands of review four such shootings.
said it has reached out to “significantly reducing pro- that own the world’s most haven’t sued the AI compa- more creators, sometimes Middleton has brought
Lionsgate and plans to meet duction time and costs.” valuable IP are thinking nies yet, but some industry with financial incentives. Al- charges in only one other
with the company “soon.” Warner Bros. Discovery and about the long-term value of observers say not to rule it ready, some creators are case, involving two Torrance
The threat of AI was one Disney are in talks with what they control,” said Dan out. putting AI to work by using police officers linked to a
of the key concerns raised by OpenAI to potentially li- Neely, co-founder and chief Meanwhile, state and text-to-video tools for music racist texting scandal who
actors and writers last year cense video footage from executive of Vermillio, which federal politicians are trying videos and to apply fantasti- shot and killed Christopher
when they went on strike for their libraries, according to operates an AI rights man- to pass legislation to ad- cal backgrounds to their DeAndre Mitchell, a Black
months. They pushed the two people familiar with the agement platform. “But dress some of the concerns YouTube content. man, in 2018. The case is on-
major studios to add protec- matter who declined to be without an existing pricing the public has raised about But it remains to be seen going.
tions in their contracts, such named. OpenAI declined to standard, this is an exist- AI. Last month, California how quickly that will lead to Middleton declined a re-
as requiring studios to get comment. ential moment that major IP Gov. Gavin Newsom signed broader acceptance and quest for comment. It re-
permission from actors to On Thursday, Meta said holders must get right.” bills into law that fight deals at the mainstream stu- mains unclear what Proctor
create digital replicas of it had been working with Los Additionally, legal ques- against the spread of deep dios. is being charged with, but
them and compensate them Angeles-based horror pro- tions remain regarding how fakes in political ads, but “To me, it’s going to come the statute of limitations on
when they’re used. Any ducer Blumhouse on a pilot AI models are trained and some people in Hollywood down to money at the end of manslaughter charges ran
deals would need to take program aimed at getting how talent should be com- say more needs to be done. the day,” said one executive out in 2021, meaning prose-
those limits into account. creative industry feedback pensated. Already, there Lionsgate’s deal with who was not authorized to cutors would face the much
“Companies across the on its Movie Gen AI tools. have been several lawsuits Runway provides some comment. “If the check is higher bar of convicting the
board, from a legal perspec- Blumhouse selected filed against AI companies, clues for how future AI large enough, the studios are former officer of murder in
tive, they’re being cautious three filmmakers, including including Runway, from agreements with studios not going to blink at it.” Glenn’s death.
A8 F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 L AT I M E S . C O M / O P I N I O N

OPINION

EDITORIAL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LAUSD should fight for its

Black student program
Given the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 rul-
It was overhauled because of a ing prohibiting the use of affirmative action
in college admissions, LAUSD officials
legal challenge, but there are other could have eliminated the $120-million-a-
ways to redress past wrongs. year program in response to the lawsuit. In-
stead, the district removed any racial pref-
erences, extending the program to help a
t’s been more than 20 years since the wider band of underserved students, but ul-

I No Child Left Behind Act was signed

into law, its goal to make schools ac-
countable for educating all children.
Before the law passed, schools gave
the test scores for all students in a grade, a
practice that often hid the reality that there
was an achievement gap between white stu-
timately reducing resources for Black stu-
dents, who make up 7% of the student popu-
lation.
The decision was expedient and got the
case dismissed, but L.A. Unified should
have fought harder to keep the program as it
was. If schools aren’t going to put special ef-
dents and their Black and Latino class- fort and funding into raising the achieve-
mates. ment of Black students, what are all those Gina Ferazzi Los Angeles Times
Those gaps were alarmingly wide, espe- demographic breakdowns by race, which DORSEY HIGH School student Caleel Smith is part of the Black Students
cially for Black students. For all the prob- districts are required to collect and publicly Achievement Plan that has been overhauled because of a lawsuit.
lems with No Child Left Behind, and there report, meant to achieve?
were many, it at least ushered in an era of It’s hard to avoid the impression that the For decades, low-income schools in the This isn’t ancient history; the situation
awareness about how many students ur- group filing the complaint, Parents Defend- district, many of them predominantly continued into the early part of the 21st cen-
gently needed help and put pressure on ing Education, is fine with tsk-tsking lower Black, actively discouraged their students tury.
schools to do more for the students who had scores for Black students but doesn’t want from taking the A-G courses that would The disparities have affected Latino stu-
been slighted by their schools. anything actually done about them. qualify them for the state’s four-year col- dents as well, but L.A. Unified’s record of
So it is disappointing that an actual ef- There are grounds to defend the pro- leges and universities. Some schools didn’t giving short shrift to Black students has a
fort to shrink the gap — the Los Angeles gram, even in California, which bans affirm- even offer the needed classes, and some- much longer history. Many of the schools
Unified School District’s Black Student ative action in the public sector. John Af- times students in these schools were auto- that were given fewer resources or that di-
Achievement Plan — was challenged as rac- feldt, a managing attorney at the nonprofit matically enrolled in easier courses. Ad- rected students away from college were al-
ist in a federal civil rights complaint by a civil rights law group Public Advocates, said vanced Placement offerings were sparse most entirely Black in 1980; they became
conservative Virginia group. government agencies are constitutionally when they existed at all. The teachers in predominantly Latino by early this century.
The achievement plan provides funding allowed to use “race-conscious remedies” to these schools had less experience. Math and L.A. Unified appears to have ample rea-
for extra counselors and enhanced curricu- make up for past race-based discrimination. science classes were often taught by rotat- son to admit that it shortchanged Black
lum to schools with large percentages of District leaders certainly should be able to ing substitutes who had no expertise in the students. Now is the time to fight for the
Black students. do this. subjects. children and teens it let down for so long.

LETTERS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

paign backers’ allegiance to this accident from 1905, not

a political party that has pointing out the reality of its
historically championed existence seems like an
policies that disproportion- oversight.
ately incarcerated people of Maurice Chauvet
color. Proposition 36 threat- Venice
ens to undo the progress
made by Proposition 47, ::
which lowered the state’s
prison population and There is an endless
saved taxpayers more than source of water that could
$800 million since it was replenish the Salton Sea.
passed in 2014. The Salton Sea is 234 feet
California spends below sea level.
$132,860 per year to incar- The New River — con-
cerate one person. This sisting mostly of wastewater
exorbitant cost ignores the and agricultural runoff —
root causes of theft-related flows from Mexicali to the
crime: poverty and lack of Salton Sea. Mexicali is 25
opportunity. feet above sea level. The Sea
Instead of reverting to of Cortez is fewer than 100
failed policies, we should miles from Mexicali.
invest in job training pro- Richard Melniker
grams, educational oppor- Los Angeles
tunities for incarcerated
individuals and community-
based violence prevention
services.
Not convicted
The campaign’s dona-
tion clearly shows this mea-
but behind bars
sure is about political gain, Re “County’s cycle of pack-
not public safety. Califor- ing, building new jails,”
Christina House Los Angeles Times nians should reject Pro- Oct. 13
VICE PRESIDENT Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff walk in their L.A. neighborhood last year. position 36 and demand
evidence-based policies A crucial element is
that enhance safety without missing from Times report-

Covering Kamala Harris sacrificing equity and jus-

tice.
Let’s invest in fighting
er Keri Blakinger’s excellent
piece underscoring the
troubled history and growth
poverty, not filling prisons. of the Los Angeles County
Re “Not everyone on Harris’ street in L.A. feels neighborly,” Oct. 16, and “Harris’ backers appeal to reluctant male voters,” George Galvis jail system — the role of cash
Oct. 16 Oakland bail in perpetuating this
The writer is executive crisis.
read through the Oct. 16 newspaper hoping to get a glimpse of Vice President Kamala Harris’ policy positions. Even

I
director of Communities Nearly 55% of the people
though there was one article on the front page, it was about Harris’ home in a tony part of Brentwood, where some United for Restorative in the Los Angeles County
residents expressed extreme attitudes about anyone who even slightly disturbs their exclusivity, including the second Youth Justice, which op- jails have not been con-
most important elected official in the country. poses Proposition 36. victed of a crime; a recent
It’s almost as if Kim Kardashian lived on the street, which would be slightly more tolerable. report by the Vera Institute
of Justice suggests that as
Elsewhere in the paper there was an account of her lackluster polling among Black male voters, the demographic that
stands to lose most during a Republican oligarchy. Despite the influence of former President Obama, it seems that some Saving a man- many as 75% of those de-
tained are there simply
men of color would rather not support a woman of color and instead opt for a white man of privilege. This speaks volumes
about the state of our country.
made accident because they can’t afford
bail.
There is barely a mention of Harris’ proposals, her policies, her career or her accomplishments. And some wonder why Re “Will saving water dry up Cash bail creates a two-
Trump is doing fine in the polls. a sea?” Oct. 16 tiered system of justice —
Nick Aquilino, Los Angeles one for the rich, and another
I believe it’s disingenu- for everyone else. Under this
ous to write about the dry- system, people who are still
ing Salton Sea without legally innocent are guilty
Oh gosh, our collective euphoric dazzle and mo- Just where did these you strong enough to vote including the fact that the until proved wealthy.
hearts certainly go out to all mentum finally gone, Harris sexist males come from? for a strong woman? desert lake is not a naturally We need to follow the
the neighbors who live on is going back to where she Did they spring whole from Regina Pally occurring body of water. lead of other states and
Harris’ street in Brentwood. came from. another man’s forehead? Or Santa Monica This is what the Cali- jurisdictions that have
Poor people are being forced That reality must be did a stork drop them down fornia Department of Fish safely minimized or elimi-
to sell their multi-million- hitting Harris pretty hard, a chimney? Perhaps anoth- and Wildlife says about the nated cash bail to fix our
dollar homes because of
such inconvenience.
as Obama went to a Harris
campaign field office and
er male found them in a
cabbage patch.
Prop. 36’s true lake: “The current Salton
Sea was formed when Col-
jails and prevent wealth-
based detention from occur-
I mean, really, can any-
one top that for a “First
scolded a group of Black
men over others who aren’t
Cold-blooded or warm-
blooded, you were born of a
GOP colors orado River floodwater ring. While Los Angeles has
breached an irrigation canal made meaningful strides in
World problem”? voting for her. female. Re “Yes on Prop. 36 cam- being constructed in the pretrial reform — notably,
And thanks to The I can’t believe Obama Therese H.E. Whitney paign gives $1 million to Imperial Valley in 1905 and before a suspect is ar-
Times for wasting the time actually stood there and Sherman Oaks state GOP,” Oct. 16 flowed into the Salton Sink.” raigned — more needs to be
and space it took to print scolded a bunch of grown While true, the article’s done.
such an important article men over others who think :: The Yes on Proposition statement that the “Salton Jeremy Cherson
on a pressing matter for all independently, implying 36 campaign’s $1-million Sea, California’s largest Los Angeles
of us readers. they were sexist. Pathetic. I For me, it is simple — real donation to the California lake, has long been fed by The writer is director of
Mary Montes was actually embarrassed men are strong enough to Republican Party reveals agricultural runoff,” does communications for the
West Hills for him as I watched him want their women to be the true nature of this ballot not tell anyone that that Bail Project.
make a fool of himself. strong too. measure. Despite claims of runoff is the sole source
:: That sort of desperation Second Gentleman bipartisan support, this (aside from scarce rainfall)
reveals a sense of panic that Doug Emhoff is strong substantial contribution of replenishment for this HOW TO WRITE TO US
This was predictable would not be there if Harris enough to marry a strong exposes Proposition 36 as a man-made, accidentally Please send letters to
from the moment Harris was winning. No, Harris is woman. Minnesota Gov. partisan effort to drag Cali- created lake, and that water letters@latimes.com. For
first took the stage after losing, and she knows it. Tim Walz is strong enough fornia back to failed “tough is notoriously toxic. submission guidelines, see
President Biden was Arthur Saginian to run with a strong woman. on crime” policies. Whatever the arguments latimes.com/letters or call
“dumped” in July. With the Santa Clarita To the men out there, are This move reveals cam- for or against maintaining 1-800-LA TIMES, ext. 74511.

Executive Chairman Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong

News: Executive Editor Terry Tang • Managing Editor Hector Becerra • Editor at Large Scott Kraft • Deputy Managing Editors Shelby Grad, Amy King, Maria L. La Ganga • Assistant
Managing Editors John Canalis, Steve Clow, Angel Jennings, Iliana Limón Romero, Craig Nakano, Ruthanne Salido • General Manager, Food Laurie Ochoa • Opinion: Editorials Editor Mariel
FOUNDED DECEMBER 4, 1881 Garza • Op-Ed Editor Susan Brenneman • Business: President and Chief Operating Officer Chris Argentieri • Chief Human Resources Officer Nancy V. Antoniou • President of L.A. Times
A Publication Studios Anna Magzanyan • Chief Information Officer Ghalib Kassam • General Counsel Jeff Glasser • V.P., Communications Hillary Manning
LAT I M E S . C O M / O P I N I O N F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 A9

OP-ED

Even abroad, no escape from U.S. politics Oklahoma

By Navied Mahdavian schools
don’t need
Trump’s
Bible
By Randall Balmer
ho knew?

W Oklahoma
needs Bibles.
Lots
them.
of
Like
55,000. That’s the scale of the re-
quest issued by Ryan Walters,
superintendent of public in-
struction for Oklahoma. Wal-
ters earlier mandated that ev-
ery public school classroom in
the state be equipped with a
Bible and that the Bible be
taught in those classrooms.
I suspect that the citizens of
Oklahoma, located squarely in
the Bible Belt, might have a
Bible or two lying around that
could be contributed to the
cause. When I wrote about what
was then called the Christian
Booksellers Assn. several dec-
ades ago, I learned that many
Christian families had as many
as a dozen Bibles on their book-
shelves, so I imagine that the
good Christian folks in Enid or
Tahlequah or Stillwater could
send a few to school and save
the taxpayers some money.
But Walters has other ideas.
His original plan asked the Leg-
islature for more than $3 million
to purchase 55,000 Bibles. And
not just any Bibles.
He at first specified that
they be the King James Version
and include the Declaration of
Independence, the Constitu-
tion and the Pledge of Alle-
giance. Once reporters made
the plan public, he amended it
— the Bibles may include all
that.
Of course, that’s not your
usual Bible.
But wait . . . didn’t I hear re-
cently about a new King James
Version that included those
very documents? It was bound
in a “leather-like” material, as I
recall, which was (and is still)
specified in Walters’ request for
proposals.
Ah yes, the “God Bless the
USA” Bible, endorsed by none
other than Donald J. Trump. In-
terestingly, it retails for $59.99,
and if you do the math, 55,000
Bibles at $59.99 a pop comes out
to just about $3.3 million.

At first, only
Trump’s $59.99
Bible met the state’s
Navied Mahdavian is a cartoonist and writer. He is a contributor to the New Yorker and author of the graphic memoir “This Country: Searching for
new mandate for
Home in (Very) Rural America.” Bibles in classrooms.
Speculation abounds that
Ryan Walters, who styles him-

Trump owes his criminal gene theory to the Nazis self a Christian conservative,
wants to ingratiate himself with
Trump in order to snare an ap-
pointment in a second Trump
It didn’t stop there. Nebe’s administration. Here I thought
Hitler sent supposedly crime lab began experimenting Betsy DeVos was a disaster as
with gas chambers using carbon secretary of education — and
hereditary lawbreakers to monoxide. These chambers were make no mistake, she was — but
concentration camps and used to kill people with mental and can you imagine Ryan Walters
physical disabilities. When Ger- in that role?
killed them en masse. many invaded the Soviet Union in For the record, Amazon sells
1941, Nebe went east to command the ESV Economy Bible for
what the Nazis called an Einsatz- $2.54 each. But it doesn’t carry
By Benjamin Carter Hett gruppe — a task force — with the the imprimatur of a thrice-mar-
mission of shooting “saboteurs,” ried convicted felon. And am I
n a recent interview, Don- “plunderers” and Jews, in incon- the only one who finds it a tad

I ald Trump claimed that

13,000 “murderers” have been
admitted to the United States
through an “open border.” He
continued that for murderers, “it’s
in their genes. And we’ve got a lot of
bad genes in our country right
Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

THE PEOPLE’S COURT of Nazi Germany had jurisdiction over

“political offenses” and issued a huge number of death sentences.
ceivable numbers. He brought
many criminal police officers with
him. This was the first form of what
we now call the Holocaust.
When mass shootings proved
too stressful for Einsatzgruppe
personnel, Nebe remembered the
ironic that any edition of the
Bible carries the endorsement
of someone guilty of the seven
deadly sins: pride, greed, lust,
envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth?
I have no objection to the
Constitution or the Declaration
now.” ology.” When the Nazis got control tary,” and “a change cannot be gas chambers his lab had devel- of Independence. I wish more
That criminal activity is rooted of German police, criminal biology achieved through educational in- oped and began experimenting Americans were conversant
in an offender’s genetic makeup is became their paradigm for identi- fluences. Such a person must with them again. This was the tech- with their nation’s charter
an old, largely discredited idea. For fying and punishing lawbreakers. therefore be dealt with in a differ- nology of the Holocaust as we usu- documents, including Okla-
Trump to spout questionable sci- For the Nazis, the role of the ent way.” ally think of it. Most people whom homa’s education superintend-
ence is hardly new. But the disturb- criminal police was not only to Nebe’s police began working the Nazis executed in gas cham- ent. Actually, I commend to
ing implications in what he said catch crooks after the commission closely with Robert Ritter, a medi- bers were killed with carbon mon- Walters the 1st Amendment to
raise the specter of far worse of an offense but to engage in pre- cal doctor who made his name with oxide. Nebe and his criminal police the Constitution. It says some-
crimes than anything one mur- ventive crime fighting. The Nazis’ research on the supposed criminal were the architects of this form of thing about the establishment
derer could do. criminal police were empowered to habits of generations of Sinti and mass killing. of religion.
The Italian physician and crim- send anyone they suspected might Roma, and with his strange obses- Once this model for racializing He might want to familiarize
inologist Cesare Lombroso came commit a crime in the future to a sion with the “Jenisch” people — a “criminals” and the technology to himself with the Bill of Rights
up with the idea of the “born crimi- concentration camp — based on Sinti-related group that Ritter kill them en masse had been devel- before mandating Bible teach-
nal” in the 1870s. Lombroso their supposed criminal biology. held to be “a residue of primitive oped, the Nazis had no trouble ing in public schools. And as
thought that criminals were And Nazi leaders spoke about tribes” and responsible for most shifting it to the killing of people Walters is perusing his “God
“primitive” humans born into the criminals — especially repeat of- crime. with disabilities, the Sinti and Bless the USA” Bible, I’d also
modern world — identifiable by fenders — with clearly murderous Two things are important here: Roma, LGBTQ+ people and, of suggest a careful reading of
their thick hair, dark skin and intent. first that the Nazis racialized crim- course, Jews. Matthew 25, the Sermon on the
small craniums. Reflecting the rac- In 1935, Hans Schneickert, a inals, holding that lawbreakers When Trump makes state- Mount, and John 18:36, where
ism of his day, he equated criminals senior Berlin police official, wrote were defined by their genes and ments about genetic criminals — Jesus declares, “My kingdom is
to Africans, Indigenous Ameri- that criminal policy was about the closely related to the Sinti and especially when he equates crimi- not of this world.”
cans, Sinti and Roma, even south- “eradication of life unworthy of Roma, the Jenisch and the Jews. nals with immigrants and ethnic What’s next? Perhaps Wal-
ern Italians. In the fifth and final life,” which meant genetic crimi- And second, that Nazis took the minorities, and talks about giving ters will mandate that all stu-
edition of his book, “Criminal nals. The phrase “life unworthy of next step: This racial group had to the police “one really violent day” dent athletes in Oklahoma be
Man,” he concluded that the life” had been coined just a few be “dealt with in a different way” — to deal with them — we should required to wear Trump’s $499
“struggle for existence” should years before by a prominent pro- in other words, killed. worry. We know the grim truth gold sneakers.
“shield us from pity” for born crimi- fessor of criminal law. The Nazis created “Special about where racializing, crimi- Another item the former
nals, who were “not of our species The head of all criminal police in Courts” to administer speedy trials nalizing and pre-genocidal lan- president has probably never
but the species of bloodthirsty Nazi Germany, Arthur Nebe, wrote with no appeals, in order to “render guage can lead. used himself.
beasts.” Ironically, his criminology in 1939 that a criminal should not harmless,” “eradicate” and “exter-
became a justification for mass be given any “opportunity to carry minate” their defendants. Crimi- Benjamin Carter Hett is a Randall Balmer is a
killing. his terrible genes into the commu- nals, or even suspected criminals, professor of history at Hunter professor of religion at
In the early 20th century, Lom- nity and to breed criminals unhin- could also be sent to concentration College and the Graduate Center, Dartmouth and the author of
broso’s ideas gradually fell out of dered.” Nebe’s deputy, Paul Wer- camps. Eventually those camps CUNY. His latest book is “The “Mine Eyes Have Seen the
favor. But they made a comeback ner, added that “if a criminal or started administering what they Nazi Menace: Hitler, Churchill, Glory: A Journey Into the
in Germany under the Nazis, as asocial person has [criminal] an- called “annihilation through la- Roosevelt, Stalin, and the Road to Evangelical Subculture in
what the Nazis called “criminal bi- cestors,” his behavior was “heredi- bor.” War.” America.”
A10 F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 L AT I M E S . C O M

Violent end for alleged Oct. 7 mastermind

[Sinwar, from A1] had been working closely him, and conveyed his re-
militant leader reportedly with Israel to locate Sinwar sponses.
underwent DNA testing and as well as hostages. But Although that clandes-
were compared with sam- there was no immediate in- tine mode of communica-
ples of Sinwar’s genetic ma- dication that U.S. informa- tion undoubtedly helped
terial collected during his tion led to his killing, the keep Sinwar alive over the
long incarceration in Israeli State Department said. months of intense Israeli at-
jails, along with fingerprints Sinwar, born in 1962, was tacks on Gaza, it also built
and dental records. a native of the Khan Yunis long delays into negotia-
There was no immediate refugee camp in Gaza. His tions taking place over a
comment from Hamas, involvement with Hamas number of months, when the
whose leadership ranks had dated to the late 1980s, soon United States, intermediari-
already been devastated by after the militant group was es such as Egypt and Qatar,
the July 31 assassination in formed. He made his name as well as Sinwar’s own al-
Tehran of its political leader, in the organization as a bru- lies, awaited his response.
Ismail Haniyeh, and by an tal internal enforcer, rooting At least one group of hos-
airstrike in Gaza that killed out suspected spies and col- tages had a startling en-
Sinwar’s top deputy, Mo- laborators with Israel. counter with Sinwar early in
hammed Deif. Sentenced in 1989 to their captivity.
Some expressed hopes four life terms for the ab- A former hostage named
that Sinwar’s demise could duction and killing of two Margalit Mozes — released
provide an opening for a ne- Israeli soldiers and a num- in November 2023 as part of
gotiated end to the war in ber of Palestinians he sus- a temporary cease-fire and
Gaza, which has triggered pected of collaboration, Sin- hostage-prisoner exchange
an enormous humanitarian war served 22 years in Israeli — described the Hamas
crisis and left much of the prison. chief ’s unexpected entry,
seaside territory in ruins. In prison, Sinwar became with an entourage, to a sec-
More than 42,000 Palestin- fluent in Hebrew and proved tion of tunnels where she
ians have been killed, ac- an astute observer of Israeli was being held. She recog-
cording to local health offi- politics. He survived a bout nized him immediately,
cials, whose tally does not with brain cancer — his Mozes said, and he acknowl-
differentiate between civil- symptoms first spotted by a edged his identity, address-
ians and combatants. prison dentist, with his sub- ing her in fluent Hebrew.
But Israeli Prime Min- Adel Hana Associated Press sequent successful treat- Mozes, who was 77 at the
ister Benjamin Netanyahu YAHYA SINWAR , shown in Gaza City in 2022, was killed by Israeli troops in the ment carried out in Israel. time, said she demanded to
— who called on Hamas mili- Gaza Strip. The Hamas leader was accused of planning the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. His jailhouse interroga- know the point of seizing her
tants to lay down their weap- tors — interviewed often in and other civilians, espe-
ons and free remaining hos- brate. ern Israel, fewer than 70 are Sinai, 48, whose father, Israeli media about their ex- cially elderly people, from Is-
tages — notably gave no hint Many families of remain- thought to remain alive in Yoram, was killed that day, periences with him — de- raeli communities near
Sinwar’s killing would signal ing Israeli hostages have Gaza. said the U.S. and other West- scribed a figure who was in- Gaza that were attacked.
an end to the conflict. been highly critical of Netan- In the West Bank, espe- ern governments should ex- tellectually curious, utterly She told Israeli news outlets
Hamas, he said, had “suf- yahu’s approach to negotia- cially in Palestinian commu- ert pressure on Netanyahu ruthless and unyielding in that Sinwar confidently in-
fered a harsh blow, but we tions, and some of them said nities hit hardest by re- to reach a negotiated accord. his belief that Israel must be formed her that there was no
have not finished our task.” Sinwar’s death marked an peated Israeli military incur- “This is a good opportu- destroyed. reason to be afraid, and that
Even as Israel has come urgent juncture in efforts to sions this year, Sinwar was nity to end the war now,” he He was released in a lop- the hostages were only to be
under overwhelming inter- secure their loved ones’ free- eulogized in mosques, and said by phone from Kibbutz sided 2011 prisoner ex- used as bargaining chips.
national condemnation for dom. on the messaging app Beeri, which was one of the change, in which 1,000 Pal- One stint of Sinwar’s
civilian suffering, including Orna Neutra, whose son Telegram, Palestinian activ- communities attacked. estinians were freed from Is- lengthy imprisonment took
accusations of war crimes, Omer, a dual U.S.-Israeli cit- ists posted paeans to the In the view of some ana- raeli jails in exchange for a place in Ashkelon, an Israeli
U.S. and Israeli officials held izen, is being held, called the slain Hamas leader, portray- lysts, Sinwar’s death, dram- single Israeli soldier who town just outside Gaza
Sinwar largely responsible news a “critical, time-sensi- ing him as a hero and fighter. atic and shocking as it had been captured and held where Sinwar’s parents had
for bringing death and de- tive development” and In Gaza, the reaction was seemed, probably does not in Gaza. lived before being forced to
struction on Palestinians urged the U.S. and Israeli more complicated. An engi- represent a fatal blow to That Sinwar survived flee their home in the after-
and thwarting a cease-fire governments to act quickly neer named Nader, who Hamas and the ideology this long was a source of math of Israel’s war for inde-
and hostage-release deal. to secure a deal. The lives of wanted only his first name that underpins it. huge frustration for Israel, pendence in 1948.
“He treated his own peo- the hostages, she said in a used for fear of reprisal, said “Killing leaders of a large whose intelligence services Accounts from those who
ple, the Palestinians of statement, “are in great dan- the sentiment among those insurgent-terrorist group in the past have proved le- interacted with him during
Gaza, as if they were all ger now, more than ever.” he knew was divided. does not make the group dis- thally adept at targeting that time said he liked to go
ready to be martyrs — only The Israeli military and “Those gloating [over the appear,” said Mark Cancian, leaders of Hamas and other barefoot when allowed out
he never asked them if they the Shin Bet security agency leader’s death] say he’s the a retired Marine colonel and Iranian-backed proxy into the prison yard, saying
wanted to be martyrs,” vet- — which announced and lat- reason for the war ... that he senior advisor to the security groups such as Hezbollah. he wanted his feet to touch
eran Middle East diplomat er confirmed Sinwar’s death destroyed our homes and program at the Center for Sinwar proved prescient the ground of what he called
Dennis Ross said on the so- — said there was no sign that we’re living in tents now be- Strategic and International in his mistrust of any elec- his rightful homeland.
cial media platform X. “With any Israeli hostages were in cause of him,” he said. Oth- Studies think tank. “There is tronic devices — which were
the Hamas leaders in Gaza the area at the time of his ers, he said, saw Sinwar as a always a subordinate willing used as a devastating weap- Times staff writers Bulos
gone, Israel should say it will killing. leader who “brought our to step up. However, there on last month against opera- reported from Beirut and
end the war, provided the For months, Israeli offi- cause back to the world.” are damaging near- and tives of Hezbollah. Wilkinson and King from
hostages are released.” cials had believed him to be Some of those affected mid-term effects ... as the The Hamas leader relied Washington. Special
In central Tel Aviv, right- keeping captives close to most directly by the Oct. 7 new leader establishes con- instead on a tight and secre- correspondent Dina Kraft
wing Israeli activists were him as human shields. Of the massacre expressed similar trol over the organization.” tive network of couriers who in Tel Aviv contributed to
handing out sweets to cele- hostages captured in south- mixed feelings. Michael Bar- U.S. intelligence officials hand-relayed messages to this report.

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 B

CALIFORNIA F R I D AY , O C T O B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 4 :: L A T I M E S . C O M / C A L I F O R N I A

Women’s Harris
top fears still mum
might just on crime
shape the initiative
election on ballot
Worries over
immigration and She says she has not
abortion could switch yet studied Prop. 36,
some Trump voters. pushed by the GOP
as an election issue.
By Anabel Sosa
ANITA CHABRIA
and Noah Bierman
We’re down
to the last DETROIT — Vice Presi-
days before dent Kamala Harris, who is
our election, registered to vote in Califor-
and once nia, said Wednesday that
again, she still needs to take a look
Trump has a at Proposition 36, a tough-
problem with on-crime measure on Cali-
women — fornia’s Nov. 5 ballot that
white women in particular. would reverse some prog-
You may recall their ressive criminal justice re-
support was instrumental forms voters approved a
to him in past elections. But decade ago.
now we’ve had Stormy “I’ve not voted yet and
Daniels, E. Jean Carroll and I’ve actually not read it yet,”
Roe vs. Wade. And some Harris told reporters ahead
white women voters are of a flight from Detroit to
starting to think maybe New Jersey, in response to a
Trump isn’t their protector. Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times question about Proposition
Go figure. STREET-LEVEL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION 36. “But I’ll let you know.”
But some still think he is. Harris’ campaign has
I know, it gives me a head- The Inspiration, a full-scale mock-up of a space shuttle, is moved along Bellflower Boulevard on Thurs- previously declined to an-
ache, too. day from a Downey storage yard for restoration and display at the Columbia Memorial Space Center. B3 swer questions from The
CNN data reporter Times about how she will
Harry Enten did an analysis vote on Proposition 36.
this week that found Trump Continued silence from
is losing support among the Democratic presidential

Measure would raise salary

white women, a demo- nominee, who has touted her
graphic Republicans have record as California’s top law
reliably counted on for enforcement official, comes
years. While Trump won as Republicans work to
that demographic by 7 make crime a key point of at-

of council by over 2,500%

points in the last election, tack this election season.
he is now up by only 1. At a campaign rally in
Enten said that’s signifi- California over the weekend,
cant because white women former President Trump,
are 36% of likely voters by the GOP nominee, cast the
his measure — making them state as a lawless mess with
a key to victory for either
candidate.
So today we’re looking at
Critics say Torrance leaders misleading voters with plan “the most homelessness, the
most crime, the most decay
and the most illegal aliens.”
two issues — abortion and Helmed by a group of
immigration — and how rently $16 per hour.” prosecutors, and financed
they are forcing white wom- By Angie Orellana If passed, the measure by Walmart, In-N-Out Bur-
en to choose their fear. Hernandez would actually raise the City ger and the California Re-
Council’s pay by 2,673%, to publican Party, among other
Tucked into an anti-cor- $33,280 a year. donors, Proposition 36
White women and ruption measure on the Nov. Currently the City Char- would impose harsher sen-
immigration 5 ballot in Torrance is a pro- ter says the council, which is tences for repeat offenses of
Listening to Trump vision that would vastly in- made up of council members drug possession and retail
degrade immigrants as crease pay for the city’s may- and the mayor, shall receive theft, and would turn some
rapists and lunatics, you or and council members, a $100 monthly stipend and crimes involving fentanyl
may think he is just racist. stirring criticism from some have any job expenses reim- and shoplifting from misde-
And while that certainly residents who say city lead- bursed. meanors into felonies.
appears to be true, there’s ers have misled the public The position is consid- It would also give people
also a strategy under all with a self-serving proposal. ered community service who routinely commit drug
that vitriol. Measure TC would work and most council crimes the option to receive
He’s stirring up fear — amend the City Charter with members have other full- substance abuse treatment,
specifically fear in white new conflict-of-interest time jobs. With benefits, the but skeptics have raised
female voters that their rules and a requirement for total compensation for a questions about how coun-
families are in danger. elected officials to take eth- Torrance City Council mem- ties would pay for treat-
Trump’s immigration mes- ics training. ber is currently about $13,000 ment.
sage all along has been But it also calls for “re- a year, according to data The California GOP en-
targeted on this point, stricting compensation for from California’s state con- dorsed Proposition 36 and,
claiming undocumented members of the City Council troller’s office. according to state campaign
Black and brown people to no more than the min- Carlin Stiehl For The Times The City Council drafted finance reports, has spent
crossing the border are imum wage of the State of MAYOR George Chen opens the floor for public com- Measure TC and placed it on more than $1 million in favor
predominantly dangerous California, which is cur- ments before a closed session at Torrance City Hall. [See Torrance, B5] of the measure.
men out to attack women, The political committee
[See Chabria, B4] [See Prop. 36, B4]

Menendez relatives urge leniency Former Olympian ran

drug empire, ordered
By Salvador
Hernandez murders, feds allege
Friends and family of
Erik and Lyle Menendez killer,” said U.S. Atty. for the
pleaded for the brothers to By Noah Goldberg Central District of California
be resentenced for their par- Martin Estrada during a
ents’ killings during a news It was a career pivot to news conference.
conference Wednesday in say the least. And he’s still on the loose.
downtown Los Angeles, Ryan Wedding, 43, was “Ryan Wedding is still at
hoping it will pave the way once an aspiring snow- large,” said FBI Special
for their release from prison. boarder who competed in Agent in Charge Krysti
More than 20 relatives the 2002 Winter Olympics in Hawkins.
stood outside the Clara Salt Lake City. He came in Prosecutors announced
Shortridge Foltz Criminal 24th for Canada in the men’s a sprawling superseding in-
Justice Center, urging the parallel giant slalom. dictment Thursday charg-
Los Angeles County district But federal prosecutors ing Wedding with conspiracy
attorney’s office to resen- in the U.S. alleged Thursday to export cocaine, running a
tence the brothers, and for that Wedding had chosen a continuing criminal enter-
the public to support the ef- different path following his prise, and ordering with
forts to release them. snowboarding career. He be- three murders in connection
“If Erik and Lyle’s case came a major trafficker of with the enterprise as well as
were heard today, with the cocaine into Canada and the with an attempted murder.
understanding we now have United States, a ruthless “An Olympic athlete-
of abuse and [post-trauma- leader of a criminal drug en- turned-druglord is now
tic stress disorder], there is terprise who would stop at charged with leading a
no doubt in my mind that nothing to keep his business transnational organized
their sentencing would have Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times running smoothly. crime group that engaged in
been very different,” said JOAN ANDERSON VanderMolen speaks in support of nephews Erik and Lyle “He chose to become a cocaine trafficking and mur-
[See Menendez, B2] Menendez during a news conference Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles. major drug trafficker and a [See Olympian, B5]

SPORTS ON THE BACK: Why Jay Toia returned to lead UCLA’s scrappy defense. B10
B2 FR I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 L AT I M E S . C O M

Menendez family
members press
latimes.com/placead

MARKETPLACE
JOBS · REAL ESTATE · MORE
To place an ad call 1.800.234.4444

Business Names Business Names Legal Notices Legal Notices Business Names
AMENDED
Business Names D.A. for leniency
AMENDED SUMMONS Fictitious Business Name Statement NO.: 2024
Fictitious Business Name Statement NO.: 2024 (CITACION JUDICIAL)
2024182544 2024179799 [Menendez, from B1] The habeas petition cur-
The following person is doing business as: Anamaria Baralt, a cousin of rently being weighed by
The following person is doing business as: Case Number (Numero del Caso): 23STCV22892 Fictitious Business Name(s) 1. Hayutin Education 2.
Fictitious Business Name(s) TMI 4900 Airport Plaza the siblings. prosecutors points to evi-
Drive, Suite 300, Long Beach, CA 90815. Registered Hayutin 12400 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 200, Los Angeles, CA
NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: 90025. Registered Owner (S): Hayutin & Associates, The brothers have spent dence that was included in a
Owner (S): Traffic Management, LLC 4900 Airport Plaza (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): Inc. 12400 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 200, Los Angeles, CA
Drive, Suite 300, Long Beach, CA 90815 DE. Business Pedro Fructuoso and Filomena Molina Martinez 90025 CA. Business is conducted by: a Corporation. more than three decades in Peacock docuseries,
is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company. The The registrant commenced to transact business under prison after being sentenced “Menendez + Menudo: Boys
registrant commenced to transact business under YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: the fictitious business name or names listed above
the fictitious business name or names listed above on (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE):
to life without parole for Betrayed,” which alleged
on January 2021. I declare that all information in
07/1995. I declare that all information in this state- Sam Sarkis Gevshenian this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who killing their parents. that Jose Menendez had
ment is true and correct. (A registrant who declares declares as true information which he or she knows At one point they faced also assaulted an underage
as true information which he or she knows to be false NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide to be false is guilty of a crime) REGISTRANT/CORP/
is guilty of a crime) REGISTRANT/CORP/LLC NAME: against you without your being heard unless you the possibility of a death member of the 1980s pop
LLC NAME: Hayutin & Associates, Inc. Signature:
Traffic Management, LLC. Signature: Christopher H. respond within 30 days. Read the information below. Amy Hayutin Contreras/Secretary. This statement was sentence. Now, attorneys for band Menudo.
Spano/President. This statement was filed with the You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons
County Clerk of Los Angeles County on 8/29/2024.
filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on the siblings and several fam- The series also pointed to
and legal papers are served on you to file a written 8/27/24. NOTICE- in accordance with subdivision (a)of
NOTICE- in accordance with subdivision (a)of section response at this court and have a copy served on the section 17920 A Fictitious Name Statement generally ily members are seizing on a letter allegedly written by
17920 A Fictitious Name Statement generally expires plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. expires at the end of five years from the date on which what they see as a chance to Erik Menendez eight
at the end of five years from the date on which it Your written response must be in proper legal form if it was filed in the office of the County Clerk except, as
was filed in the office of the County Clerk except, as get the brothers resen- months before the 1989
you want the court to hear your case. There may be provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it
provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it a court form that you can use for your response. You expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth tenced or set free. shooting, suggesting that he
expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth can find these court forms and more information at in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other Previous efforts by the had been sexually abused
in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. than a change in the residence address of a registered
than a change in the residence address of a registered brothers and their attorneys into his late teenage years.
courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or owner. A new fictitious business name statement
owner. A new fictitious business name statement the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the fil- must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this to cut short their incarcera- The letter had been dis-
must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this ing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If youstatement does not of itself authorize the use in this tion have been fruitless, but covered by family members
statement does not of itself authorize the use in this do not file your response on time, you may lose the state of fictitious business name in violation of the
state of fictitious business name in violation of the case by default, and your wages, money, and property rights of another under federal state or common law
a new writ of habeas corpus years earlier, but had not
rights of another under federal state or common law may be taken without further warning from the court. (see section 14411 et seq. Business and Professions citing new evidence is being been submitted to the court
(see section 14411 et seq. Business and Professions There are other legal requirements. You may code). Dean C. Logan, Los Angeles County Clerk. considered by Dist. Atty. to review until the habeas
code). Dean C. Logan, Los Angeles County Clerk. BY: want to call an attorney right away. If you do not BY: Lakeisha McCoy, Deputy. Published 08/29/24,
Heidi Valtierra, Deputy. Published 08/31/24, 09/07/24, know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney 09/05/24, 09/12/24, 09/19/24, 10/11/24, 10/18/24, George Gascón’s office. petition.
09/14/24, 09/21/24, 10/11/24, 10/18/24, 10/25/24, referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you 10/25/24, 11/01/24. Prosecutors have been Mark Geragos, one of the
11/01/24. may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit reviewing the Menendez attorneys representing the
legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit Legal Notices Legal Notices
Business Names Business Names groups at the California Legal Services Web Site (www. case and their petition for brothers in their petition,
lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online
SUMMONS
more than a year. But re- said the brothers had ex-
Fictitious Business Name Statement NO.: 2024 Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or newed public attention to hausted their legal avenues
2024209761 by contacting your local court or county bar associa- (CITACION JUDICIAL)
The following person is doing business as: tion. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): the case, partly sparked by for appeal in 2005.
Fictitious Business Name(s) One Stop Installations fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award 23STCP04670 the Netflix series “Monsters: “They had resigned
23650 Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90505. of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must The Lyle and Erik Menendez themselves to be in prison
Registered Owner (S): Amylaur Distributions Inc. be paid before the court will dismiss the case. NOTICE TO DEFENDANT:
23650 Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90505 іAVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde Story,” prompted Gascón to for the rest of their lives,”
(AVISO AL DEMANDADO):
California. Business is conducted by: a Corporation. dentro de 30 dias, la corte puede decider en su
CHENSHI ZHUANG, an individual
hold a news conference this Geragos said Wednesday.
The registrant commenced to transact business contra sin escuchar su version. Lea la informacion a
continuacion. month. But the evidence cited in the
under the fictitious business name or names listed
above on 10/1/2024. I declare that all information in Tiene 30 DIAS DE CALENDARIO despues de que YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: Gascón offered no hint as motion have given them a
this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who le entreguen esta citacion y papeles legales para (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE) to which way he and his of- window at reconsideration.
declares as true information which he or she knows presenter una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y SHENZHEN GREAT WALL DECORATION GROUP CO.,
to be false is guilty of a crime) REGISTRANT/CORP/ hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una fice were leaning, but said he He called the support
LTD., a limited liability company organized under
LLC NAME: Amylaur Distributions Inc.. Signature: carta o una llamada telefonica no lo protegen. Su
the laws of the People’s Republic of China.
hoped to “bring finality” to from more than 20 relatives
Andrew Kwasnowski. This statement was filed with respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal the case during a Nov. 26 “unprecedented.”
the County Clerk of Los Angeles County County on correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es
10/9/2024. NOTICE- in accordance with subdivision posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide hearing. Baralt pointed to the
(a)of section 17920 A Fictitious Name Statement para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios against you without your being heard unless you “We’re not at this point brothers’ time in prison, not-
generally expires at the end of five years from the de la corte y mas informacion en el Centro de Ayuda respond within 30 days. Read the information ready to say we believe or do ing their involvement in re-
date on which it was filed in the office of the County de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en below.
Clerk except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte not believe that informa- habilitative programs de-
You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons
17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the que le quede mas cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota tion,” Gascón said during spite little hope of being re-
facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section de presentacion, pida al secretario de la corte que le and legal papers are served on you to ile a written
de un formulario de exencion de pago de cuotas. Si response at this court and have a copy served on the the news conference. “But leased.
17913 other than a change in the residence address
of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el plaintif. A letter or phone call will not protect you. we’re here to tell you that we “Despite their circum-
statement must be filed before the expiration. The caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podra quitar su Your written response must be in proper legal form have a moral and ethical ob- stances, they have chosen a
filing of this statement does not of itself authorize sueldo, dinero y bienes sin mas advertencia. if you want the court to hear your case. There may ligation to review what is be- life of light,” she said. “Lyle
the use in this state of fictitious business name in be a court form that you can use for your response.
violation of the rights of another under federal state or The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y ing presented to us and and Erik deserve a chance.”
direccion de la corte es): You can ind these court forms and more
common law (see section 14411 et seq. Business and make a determination.” Baralt and other rela-
Professions code). Dean C. Logan, Los Angeles County Stanley Mosk Courthouse information at the California Courts Online Self-Help
111 N. Hill Street Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county A few hours after the fam- tives on Wednesday were
County Clerk. BY: Valerie Valadez, Deputy. Published
10/11/24, 10/18/24, 10/25/24, 11/01/24. Los Angeles, CA 91202 law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you ily members’ news confer- also set to meet with the dis-
cannot pay the iling fee, ask the court clerk for a fee ence, Gascón issued a state- trict attorney’s office to ad-
The name, address, and telephone number of
Legal Notices Legal Notices plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an at-
waiver form. If you do not ile your response on ment, saying his office con- dress their support for re-
torney, is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero time, you may lose the case by default, and your tinues to review the case but sentencing.
de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del wages, money, and property may be taken without
noting that “our office has “I never thought this day
Summons (Form CH-210) demandante que no tiene abogado, es): further warning from the court.
(Civil Harassment Restraining Order) Zaven A. Pehlevanian, ESQ There are other legal requirements. You may want developed a more modern would come,” said Joan An-
Citacion (Orden de restriccion por acoso civil) 1201 N. Pacific Ave., Suite 111 to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an understanding of sexual vi- dersen VanderMolen, sister
Glendale, Ca 91202 attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral olence since the Menendez of Kitty Menendez. “As de-
Case No.: 24STRO05335
818-793-0363
service. If you cannot aford an attorney, you may be brothers first faced prose- tails of Erik and Lyle’s abuse
Person asking for Protection: Date: (Fecha) 01/17/2024 eligible for free legal services from a nonproit legal cution.” came to light it became clear
La persona que solicita proteccion: services program. You can locate these nonproit
KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN A Rodriguez Clerk groups at the California Legal Services Web site
The brothers bought that their actions, while
(Secretario) (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts shotguns in 1989 and killed tragic, were the desperate
Notice to (name of person to be restrained): A. Rodriguez Deputy Online Self-Help Center their parents in their Bever- response of two boys trying
Aviso a (nombre de la persona a ser restringida): : (Adjunto)
(www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting ly Hills home. Prosecutors to survive the unspeakable
MELVYN JEFFERY CONLEY Legal Notices Legal Notices your local court or county bar association. NOTE: said Jose Menendez was cruel of their father.”
The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and shot five times, including Brian Anderson Jr., a
Restrained Party: MELVYN JEFFERY CONLEY
SUMMONS costs on any settlement or arbitration award of
once in the back of the head. cousin, said he would wel-
(CITACION JUDICIAL) $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must
The person KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN is asking for His wife, Kitty, is believed to come the brothers into his
a Civil Harassment Restraining Order against you. be paid before the court will dismiss the case.
Case Number (Numero del Caso): 23CV00809 ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro have crawled wounded on home if they were released.
La persona KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN pidiendo
una orden de restriccion por acoso civil contra de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin the floor before the brothers “I can tell you without a
NOTICE TO DEFENDANT:
usted (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): escuchar su version. Lea la información a reloaded and fired a final doubt they are not the vil-
Khalid Taylor, and Ray Young, and DOES 1-50, inclusive, continuación. shot. lains that they have been
You have a court date: Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le
YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para
Erik and Lyle Menendez portrayed as,” he said. “They
Tiene una audiencia en la corte
Date (Fecha): November 01, 2024 (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): presenter una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y became the prime suspects were boys, young, scared
Time (Hora): 8:30 A.M. DAVID McKAY hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. after Erik confessed to his and abused by their father in
Dept .(Depto) : 35 NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo prolegen. therapist in March 1990. ways no child should ever ex-
Room (Sala): 411 against you without your being heard unless you Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato Police and prosecutors perience.”
respond within 30 days. Read the information below. legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la argued that the two killed Relatives asked support-
Name and address of court: You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted
Nombre y direcci6n de la corte, si no es la misma and legal papers are served on you to file a written pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar
their parents for the multi- ers to sign an online petition
de arriba: response at this court and have a copy served on the estos formularios de la corte y más información en el million-dollar estate. De- in support of the brothers’
Superior Court of California, County of plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. fense attorneys, however, ar- resentencing.
Your written response must be in proper legal form if Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California
Corte Superior de California, Condado de (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su gued that the killings came Not all relatives of the sib-
Los Angeles you want the court to hear your case. There may be
a court form that you can use for your response. You condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no after the brothers were sub- lings are in agreement as to
Central District can find these court forms and more information at puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al jected to years of violent sex- the future of Erik and Lyle
111 North Hill Street the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de
Los Angles, CA 90012 courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or extención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su
ual abuse at the hands of Menendez.
the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the fil- their father. In a statement, Kitty
What if I don't go to my court date? ing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por
If you do not go to your court date, the judge can do not file your response on time, you may lose the incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, The first trial, which was Menendez’s brother Milton
grant a restraining order that limits your contact case by default, and your wages, money, and property dinero y hiener sin más advertencia. broadcast live on cable net- Andersen said he believes
with the person KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN. Having a may be taken without further warning from the court. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que work Court TV, included tes- the two should remain in
restraining order against you may impact your life There are other legal requirements. You may llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a
want to call an attorney right away. If you do not timony about the alleged prison.
in other ways, including preventing you from un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remision
having guns and ammunition. If you do not go to
know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney
a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es
abuse and ended with jurors His attorney, Kathy
referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you unable to reach a unani- Cady, criticized Gascón and
your court date, the judge could grant everything may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener
that the person KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN asked legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de mous verdict on either said he had not been keeping
the judge to order.lQue pasa si no voy a la groups at the California Legal Services Web Site (www. servicios legales sin ines de lucro. Puede encontrar brother. Andersen updated on the
audiencia? lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online estos grupos sin ines de lucro en el sitio web de In the second trial, how- case.
Si no va a la audiencia, el juez puede dictar una Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or California Legal Services,
orden de restriccion que limita su contacto con la by contacting your local court or county bar associa- ever, Lyle Menendez did not “The lack of clarity and
tion. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda
persona KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN . Una orden de de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o
testify, and much of the testi- transparency once again
fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award
restriccion en su contra puede tener otras
of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de mony of abuse was excluded. leaves Mr. Andersen in the
consecuencias, como prohibirle tener armas de be paid before the court will dismiss the case. Prosecutors also argued dark,” she said. “He should
abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene
fuego y municiones. Si no va a la audiencia, el juez іAVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde
puede ordenar todo lo que pide la persona
derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos extentos that the allegations of abuse not be learning about the fu-
dentro de 30 dias, la corte puede decider en su por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier
KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN. contra sin escuchar su version. Lea la informacion a against Jose Menendez, an ture of his sister’s murder
continuacion. recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida executive at RCA Records, case through a magazine or
How do I find out what KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN Tiene 30 DIAS DE CALENDARIO despues de que mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje
en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el
were fabrications. a press conference.”
is asking for? le entreguen esta citacion y papeles legales para
To find out what the person, KIMBERLY presenter una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda
KARDASHIAN is asking the judge to order, go to hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una desechar el caso.
carta o una llamada telefonica no lo protegen. Su
the courthouse listed at the top of page 1. Ask the respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal
court clerk to let you see your case file. You will correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es The name and address of the court is:
need to give the court clerk your case number,
which is listed above and on page 1. The request
for restraining order will be on form CH- 100,
Request. for Civil Harassment Restraining Order.
posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar
para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios
de la corte y mas informacion en el Centro de Ayuda
de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en
(El nombre y dirección de la corte es):
Stanley Mosk Courthouse
111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 Man accused of using
?Como puedo entender lo que pide la persona KIMBERLY
KARDASHIAN Para entender lo que pide la persona
KIMBERLY KARDASHIAN, vaya al tribunal en la direcci6n
indicada en la parte superior de la pagina l. Pida al
la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte
que le quede mas cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota
de presentacion, pida al secretario de la corte que le
de un formulario de exencion de pago de cuotas. Si
no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el
The name, address, and telephone number of the
plaintif’s attorney, or plaintif without an
attorney, is:
(El nombre, la dirección y el número de telefono del
drone to deliver drugs
secretario de la eorte penniso para ver el expediente caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podra quitar su abogado del demandante, o del demandante que
de su caso. Tendra que darlc al scerctario cl numero sueldo, dinero y bienes sin mas advertencia. no tiene abodgado, es):
sions in December 2022 and
de su caso, que aparece arriba y en la pagina 1. La By Ruben Vives January 2023, Laney used an
solicitud de una orden de restriecion se hace en el Yang Wenyao, 1360 Valley Vista Dr., Suite 140,
The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y unregistered drone to trans-
formulario CH-I 00, Solicit11d de ordenes de direccion de la corte es): Diamond Bar, CA 91765
restriccion por acoso civil. SANTA BARBARA SUPERIOR COURT A Lancaster man was in- port fentanyl and other nar-
1100 ANACAPA STREET Date: 12/29/2023 dicted Wednesday by a fed- cotics from his home to a
Where can I get help? SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101
eral grand jury on charges nearby church parking lot,
Free legal information is available at your local David W. Slayton Executive Oicer
The name, address, and telephone number of stemming from his alleged where someone collected
court's self-heIp center. Go to Clerk of the Court
plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an at- use of a drone to deliver fen- the drugs before distribut-
www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp to find your local torney, is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero (Secretario)
center. de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del S. Bolden Deputy tanyl and other narcotics to ing them to buyers.
?Dode puedo obtener ayuda? demandante que no tiene abogado, es): (Adjunto) buyers, one of whom died of At least one of those peo-
Pucde obtener informaci6n legal gratis en el centro MICHAEL P. RING 95922 RING & ASSOCIATES an overdose. ple included a woman who
de ayuda de su corte. Vea 1234 SANTA BARBARA STREET Published in the Los Angeles Times 10/11, 10/18,
www.courts.ca.gov/sclthclpselthelpcentcrs.htm?rd SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101 Christopher Patrick died of an overdose in Janu-
10/25, and 11/1/2024
eLocaleA - s para encontrar (805) 564-2333 “Crany” Laney, 34, has been ary 2023.
Date: (Fecha) 2/28/2023
charged with one count of The federal grand indict-
Do I need a lawyer? HOW TO PLACE AN AD distributing fentanyl result- ment also accuses Laney of
You are not required to have a lawyer, but you may Darrel E. Parker Clerk ing in death, four counts of being in possession of meth-
want legal advice before your court hearinf. For (Secretario)
Narzralli Baksh Deputy operating an unregistered amphetamine and fentanyl
help finding a lawyer, you can visit aircraft in furtherance of a at his home, along with mul-
(Adjunto) Self-service 24/7:
www.lawhelpca.org or contact you local bar
association. felony narcotics crime, one tiple firearms lacking serial
?Necesito un abogado? latimes.com/placead count of possessing meth- numbers — weapons that
No es obligatorio tener un abogado, pero es Don’t let the phone amphetamine with intent to are referred to as “ghost
posible que quiera consejos legates antes de la distribute, two counts of guns.”
audiencia en la corte.
Para ayuda a encontrar un abogado, visite
stop ringing Contact us by phone 24/7: possessing fentanyl with in- The firearms include one
www.lawhclpca.org/cs/homcpage o contacte al tent to distribute, and one AR-15 rifle and two 9mm
800-234-4444
Colegio de Abogadosblocal. count of possessing firearms semiautomatic pistols.
Advertise with in furtherance of a drug traf- Laney faces a minimum
Date filed: October 2, 2024 ficking crime, according to sentence of 25 years in fed-
/s/ By: David W. Slayton, Clerk LA Times Classified ADVERTISING POLICIES
the grand jury indictment. eral prison and up to life im-
/s/ By: E. Martinez , Deputy For Los Angeles Times advertising terms Federal prosecutors al- prisonment if convicted on
LA Times Classified and conditions go to: leged that on several occa- all charges.
Published in the Los Angeles Times (800) 234-4444 www.latimes.com/about/la-ads-terms-20181105-htmlstory.html
L AT I M E S . C O M F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 B3

CITY & STATE

‘Small’
local
dengue
outbreak
reported
Two more cases of
the mosquito-borne
virus in Baldwin Park
bring the total to five.
By Karen Garcia

Two more cases of the

mosquito-borne dengue
virus have been identified in
Baldwin Park, bringing to
five the recent total concen-
trated in the area and rais-
ing concerns of a “small local
outbreak” of the virus, ac-
cording to the Los Angeles
County Department of Pub-
lic Health.
The new cases are under
investigation by the health
Photographs by Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times department in partnership
A CROWD watches as pieces of the space shuttle Inspiration, a full-scale mock-up of a shuttle, are moved along Bellflower Boulevard with the San Gabriel Valley
Thursday from a Downey maintenance yard for restoration and eventual display in a new area at the Columbia Memorial Space Center. Mosquito Vector Control
District, officials said Tues-

‘This is where it all happened’

day.
Dengue is mainly trans-
mitted through the bite of in-
fected Aedes mosquitoes,
according to public health
officials. The disease is usu-
and Space Center at Expos- ally found in tropical and
In Downey, space ition Park. subtropical regions.
Boeing closed the Down- Neither of the people
shuttle prototype ey facility in 1999, and the most recently infected with
Inspiration begins mock-up bounced around dengue had a history of trav-
storage facilities for more el to areas where the virus is
move to future home. than 20 years. typically found.
In 2009, Downey opened Sustained spread of
By Andrew J. Campa its Columbia Memorial dengue in a neighborhood
Space Center on the site of occurs when infected mos-
At slower than a walking the city’s former NASA test quitoes bite and spread it to
pace, the prototype that facility. people, who are then bitten
helped launch America’s The two-story center is by other mosquitoes. Those
space shuttle program pa- roughly 20,000 square feet mosquitoes become infected
raded down Downey streets and features a robotics and from the blood of their hosts
Thursday morning on its computer lab and interac- and the cycle continues.
way to a temporary housing tive space exhibits. The cen- Aedes mosquitoes are
location in preparation for a ter draws about 100,000 visits most active during the day,
move to its final home. annually. but their peak biting time is
Dozens of students who The Downey Space Shut- just before sunrise and just
skipped classes waved and tle Exhibit and Education after sunset.
snapped selfies near the Building would add a new “Many people infected
partially covered wood and two-story, 29,000-square may not show symptoms,
plastic model. The visible foot space shuttle museum, making it challenging to de-
rear engine nozzles gar- event courtyard, STEM tect and control the spread
nered gasps and pointing building and courtyard, of the disease,” said L.A.
among a few hundred resi- GILBERT BEVENFLOREZ III, 6, holds a model of the space shuttle Discovery as children’s outdoor class- County Public Health Offi-
dents who sat in folding Inspiration is moved. His grandfather worked on the shuttle program in the 1970s. room, pavilion, lawn and cer Muntu Davis.
chairs along the sidewalk to other amenities to the com- Flulike symptoms of
watch the procession. part of a 12.8-acre parcel Downey,” Mayor Mario Tru- In total, 12,000 workers plex. dengue may appear, if at all,
The 122-foot-long-by-35- where construction crews jillo said at a ceremony developed and manufac- Benjamin Dickow, space two to seven days after being
foot-tall space shuttle mock- plan to complete in early Thursday. “This is where it tured the shuttle at the pro- center president and execu- bitten.
up, named the Inspiration, 2026 the Downey Space all happened.” gram’s peak in a sprawling tive director, said the cen- The full range of symp-
was transported via big rigs Shuttle Exhibit and Educa- The shuttle mock-up’s campus that included 120 ter’s expansion represents toms include fever, followed
in multiple parts nearly a tion Building to serve as a history with Downey spans acres and 40 buildings. an opportunity to change by severe headache, pain be-
third of a mile along Bell- larger science exhibit and decades. From April 12, 1981, the way science and engi- hind the eyes, joint and mus-
flower Boulevard from a city educational complex. Offi- North American Rock- through July, 21 2011, NASA neering is taught. cle pain, rash and possibly
maintenance yard to a tem- cials from the city and the well International, later fleets flew 135 space shuttle “This project is going to mild bleeding, public health
porary housing location. Columbia Memorial hope known as Rockwell Interna- missions and helped build allow us to keep innovating,” officials said. More critical
The prototype will even- the space shuttle will contin- tional and now part of Boe- the International Space Sta- Dickow said. “In the new symptoms include severe
tually be the centerpiece of a ue to draw attention and ing, built the prototype in tion. building we’ll be able to bleeding and shock or a se-
new space shuttle museum lead to more visitors. 1972 at its Downey facility. One of those shuttles — bring speakers and experts vere drop in blood pressure
at the expanded Columbia “The next time you see The space shuttle be Endeavour — was lifted into and practitioners and teach- that can lead to organ fail-
Memorial Space Center in the moon or you see pictures came the world’s first reus- place in January into the ers together to innovate how ure.
Downey. of man landing on the moon, able winged orbiting middle of its future home, STEM should be done for This year, there have now
The space center will be I want you to think about spaceship. the Samuel Oschin Air the 21st Century.” been eight cases of locally
acquired dengue reported in
L.A. County, including two in
El Monte and one in Pano-
rama City, according to the

Santa Monica Parole board halts early health department. None

have developed severe dis-
ease, officials said.

College worker dies The risk of widespread

release of serial rapist

transmission in L.A. County
remains low, but the health

2 days after shooting department is closely moni-

toring the situation.
“We will continue aggres-
sive mosquito control ef-
their questioning they were of two of these rapes was forts, weekly surveillance
By Clara Harter ill prepared to investigate used against him in court. testing, and public educa-
By Clara Harter the inmate’s lack of under- The case attracted in- tion to help protect public
The California Board of standing and insight into tense media attention when health and mitigate the risk
The victim of Monday Parole Hearings reversed a the factors that led to his 86 Luster fled to Mexico after of further transmission,”
night’s shooting at Santa decision made in August to felony convictions.” posting $1-million bail in said Jason Farned, San Ga-
Monica College has died, au- allow the early release of An- The full Board of Parole 2003 and was subsequently briel Valley Mosquito and
thorities said Wednesday. drew Stuart Luster, a serial Hearings panel recently re- captured in Puerto Vallarta Vector Control District
She succumbed to her in- rapist who drugged young viewed a list of these alleged by American bounty hunter manager.
juries in a hospital around 5 women in college bars dur- errors provided by and reality TV personality Farned urged residents
p.m. ing the late 1990s and later Nasarenko and reversed the Duane “Dog” Chapman. to take take advantage of
Felicia Hudson, 54, of was captured by a bounty parole decision. Luster is While in Mexico, Luster free vector control services
Newnan, Ga., was a custodi- hunter when he fled to tentatively scheduled for an- compiled what he called a including inspection and
al operations manager at the Mexico to avoid trial. other parole hearing in 2025. “payback list,” with names abatement of mosquito
school. She was shot about Santa Monica College Luster, a great-grandson Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. of Ventura County prose- breeding sites at their
10 p.m. Monday at the col- FELICIA HUDSON of cosmetics giant Max Fac- Tony Wold, who prosecuted cutors, sheriff ’s deputies, his homes.
lege’s Center for Media and died from her injuries. tor, was convicted in 2003 of the original case against victims and one of his attor- Officials recommended
Design, a satellite campus 86 felony counts, including Luster, said the district at- neys, according to that residents of Baldwin
on Stewart Street. property crimes, according poisoning, rape, sodomy torney’s office intends to en- statements by Judge Park take the following steps
A manhunt was launched to the Santa Monica Police and oral copulation of un- sure that he serves the re- Kathryne Ann Stoltz. to prevent local transmis-
after the shooting, and on Department. conscious victims. He is now maining two years of his Luster was sentenced to sion of dengue:
Tuesday, law enforcement “We are deeply saddened 60 years old. term. 124 years in prison in 2003; 8 Wear EPA-registered
SWAT vehicles converged on and shocked by the tragic In August, a two-person “In my 27 years as a pros- however, in 2013 that sen- mosquito repellent that con-
an El Segundo intersection, loss of our colleague Felicia parole panel deemed him eli- ecutor, Luster remains one tence was reduced to 50 tain DEET, picaridin,
cornering suspect Davon Hudson, who served the col- gible for early release — a de- of the most dangerous rap- years. IR3535, 2-undecanone, and
Durell Dean. lege for nearly three decades cision that Ventura County ists I have ever prosecuted,” He has since served 23 oil of lemon eucalyptus.
The 39-year-old was a with dedication and heart,” Dist. Atty. Erik Nasarenko Wold said in a statement. years, including time spent 8 Wear long-sleeved
custodian at the college. He said Kathryn Jeffery, the col- contended was based on fac- If he is not paroled under house arrest and in shirts and pants when out-
died from a self-inflicted lege superintendent and tual errors surrounding sooner, Luster is scheduled pretrial custody, according side.
gunshot wound during the president. “She took great Luster’s offenses. to be released Oct. 31, 2026. to the D.A.’s office. 8 Keep mosquitoes out of
standoff around 3 p.m. near pride in being a steadfast co- “Commissioners ignored From 1996 to 2000 Luster In California, the general the house by ensuring doors
El Segundo and Aviation worker and leader.” consistent, blatant misrep- used the illegal drug rule is that a defendant con- and windows have tight-fit-
boulevards. The college will be con- resentations the inmate gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or victed of a nonviolent felony ting screens. Inspect for any
In 2011, Dean was arrested ducting a review of the inci- made about his crimes,” GHB, to put his victims in a must serve 50% of their sen- holes or tears in the screens
on suspicion of attempted dent and has established the Nasarenko wrote in an Octo- “life-threatening state of un- tence. Luster’s crime, rape of and fix them.
murder, and in 2019, he was Felicia Hudson Legacy Fund ber letter to the board. “The consciousness” and engage an unconscious person, 8 Prevent mosquito
arrested on suspicion of as- in Hudson’s memory, which commissioners failed to pre- in “sadistic sexual abuse of technically qualifies as a breeding by eliminating
sault with a deadly weapon. the school said would be pare questions based on their comatose bodies,” ac- nonviolent offense, standing water from flower
However, his only convic- used to uplift those in need. these misrepresentations cording to the D.A.’s office. Nasarenko explained to pots, saucers, birdbaths or
tions were for misdemeanor and demonstrated through Video that Luster recorded KCLU in 2023. pool covers.
B4 FR I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 L AT I M E S . C O M

Immigration, abortion could shape Trump vote

[Chabria, from B1] Before Trump’s event, on reproductive rights,
children and communities. the family of Amber Thur- posted this on X about the
And maybe even dogs and man did a press call with filing: “This is a big deal,
cats. Harris. Thurman was a especially given that Com-
Studies have shown that 22-year-old mother who in stock enforcement will
undocumented people 2022 was forced to travel out depend on who is in the
commit fewer crimes than of state for a medication White House.”
citizens, but of course, there abortion. When she re- What she means by that
have been terrible cases turned to Georgia, she is that Trump doesn’t need
where they have. In June, experienced complications. to ban abortion — he just
two undocumented men But a hospital refused to needs to enforce the existing
were charged with killing a treat her for more than 20 Comstock Act, would would
12-year-old Houston girl. A hours, leaving her to die effectively backdoor-ban all
year ago, an undocumented eventually from sepsis. medical abortions by mak-
man allegedly killed Rachel Thurman’s death was en- ing it nearly impossible to
Morin, a Maryland mom tirely avoidable with routine ship the pills to clinics or
who was out for a run. And medical care. patients. So the battle for
in Georgia, there was Laken The host of the town hall, reproductive rights rarely
Riley, a name Trump often Fox host Harris Faulkner, ends at state borders, and
invokes. She was a 22-year- told Trump about the Thur- most female voters — in-
old nursing student alleg- mans’ press call — and he cluding Republican ladies —
edly killed by an undocu- made a joke about it. know that.
mented man while jogging “Oh, that’s nice,” Trump At the town hall, Trump
on the University of Georgia said, adding, “We’ll get tried to address this vote-
campus. better ratings, I promise.” sucking reality, promising
Those deaths are terrible Better ratings than a that he favors abortion-ban
tragedies that join the sor- grieving family. That’ll win exceptions for rape, incest
row of more than 4,200 the votes. Abortion remains and saving a woman’s life.
women killed in the United Alex Brandon Associated Press one of Trump’s most vulner- He also tried to alleviate
States each year, the major- DONALD TRUMP stirs fear among white and moderate female voters with his able points. And if some fears that state bans could
ity by U.S. citizens, and immigration rhetoric, while his stance on state-controlled abortion divides them. women are afraid of immi- impact IVF access (spoiler
more than 463,000 women grants, many are also ter- alert — IVF destroys embry-
sexually assaulted each year still wins it. stop tolerating rape and nized female voters since rorized by the idea that they os, so yes, bans will affect it).
in the United States. That’s That reality was on dis- violence against women by 2022 when the Supreme or a woman they love will die He called himself the “father
an assault about every 68 play during Trump’s Geor- men of any color or national Court overturned Roe vs. seeking reproductive care. of IVF” and in an especially
seconds by a man, also gia town hall Wednesday origin. Wade. Because in case it wasn’t weird moment, called Ala-
usually a U.S. citizen — at morning, when one anxious But Trump’s answer was The women in the town obvious, this “back to the bama Sen. Katie Britt “just
least once by Trump him- mother asked Trump not not that. Trump suggested hall, all Republicans hand- states” line is disingenuous a fantastically attractive
self. just what he would do about he would outlaw sanctuary picked by Fox News, seemed and dangerous. person” who had explained
Of course, Trump is not illegal immigration, but how cities through an executive content with Trump’s an- Here’s a bit of important to him what IVF was. Britt,
running on protecting wom- fast he could protect her order, or use the Alien Ene- swer to a question on the but in-the-weeds news you may recall, tried to
en from American-born family. mies Act of 1798, which issue that “everyone” reported by Jessica Valenti introduce a law that would
men. But his endless high- She said her son attends allows a president to deport wanted reproductive rights on her substack: The Re- allow women to collect child
lighting of “migrant crime,” the University of Georgia in immigrants from an enemy to lose federal protections publican-led states of Kan- support for their “unborn”
as he calls it, has had its Athens, where Riley was nation. and be left in the hands of sas, Missouri and Idaho this children.
desired effect — some fe- killed, and he was on cam- But importantly, the state legislatures — ones week amended their com- So for some white wom-
male voters genuinely be- pus, afraid, that day. She question itself shows where including Georgia, which plaint in an ongoing case en, especially the moderate
lieve violent immigrants asked Trump, “How quickly some white female voters has enacted a six-week ban, about the abortion drug ones who are still undecided
pose a disproportional in a sanctuary city like are coming from — wanting before most women know mifepristone. (or maybe just keeping their
threat that Kamala Harris they’re calling Athens, Ga., protection from a threat they are pregnant. They are going after ballots private) there’s a
isn’t just ignoring, but en- how quickly can you remove Trump has taught them to But I am not so sure states including California pull between the fear of
couraging. those threats to our society fear, and genuinely scared women outside of that town that allow the drug to be illegal immigration and the
A new Quinnipiac Uni- so that our children can go immigrants will harm them. hall feel quite the same. sent via mail to abortion- fear of losing reproductive
versity poll out this week out on a run, as they right- That Quinnipiac University ban states (this invokes the rights.
found that in Georgia, 51% of fully should be able to do, in poll found that among fe- Comstock Act, which I’ve What scares some of
White women
women thought Trump a park, in the daytime, by male voters in Georgia, 55% written about before), and those white ladies the most
would do a better job on themselves?” and abortion thought Harris would do a also trying to outlaw it en- may decide the election.
immigration than Harris. Of course, the answer is But then there is abor- better job on abortion is- tirely for minors. The case is
Not a huge majority, but he as soon as we as a culture tion, an issue that has galva- sues. being heard by a Texas A version of this column
judge who borders on being originally appeared in the
an antiabortion activist. L.A. Times Politics news-
Mary Ziegler, UC Davis letter. To subscribe, visit
law professor and an expert latimes.com/newsletters.

Obituaries
Place a paid notice latimes.com/placeobituary | Search obituary notice archives: legacy.com/obituaries/latimes
Is that a sea monster
that washed ashore?
Arthur David Karno
September 27, 1930 - October 16, 2024
Arthur David Karno of Sherman Oaks, CA passed away on
October 16, 2024.
Nope, it’s a moray
Arthur was a magnetic force. He was highly active
throughout his lifetime, from his service in the Coast Guard California moray eels live
By Summer Lin in coral reefs from Point
to coaching little league baseball to achieving multiple black
belts in the martial arts. He was incredibly supportive of his Conception in Santa Bar-
family and friends. What has multiple rows bara County to southern
Alice Coulombe Elizabeth Moylan Arthur was preceded to heaven by his wife, Zelda, and son,
of teeth, a terrifying set of
jaws and a corpse-like pal-
Baja California in Mexico,
according to the Monterey
February 25, 1932 - Gary. Arthur was survived by his two daughters, Sharon and
September 12, 2024 Snyder Cindy, 5 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. lor?
If you guessed the titular
Bay Aquarium. They feed on
small reef fishes, shrimps,
August 8, 1936 - Services will be held at Mount Sinai Memorial Park on
Alice Helen Steere villain in Ridley Scott’s 1979 octopuses, crabs, sea
Coulombe passed away at her October 11, 2024 Friday, October 18 at 2:30pm. horror film, you’d be correct. urchins and lobsters.
home in Pasadena, California Beloved Mother of But a dead version of the They grow to around 5
at the age of 92. Born in 1932 eight, Grandmother of 14, creature that inspired feet long, according to the
in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Alice Great Grandmother of six, Scott’s “Alien” also washed aquarium. Instead of having
earned her B.A. in Humanities Elizabeth “Betty” Sargent ashore over the weekend gill covers like most other
and M.A. in Education from was the youngest child of near Laguna Niguel. fish, morays breathe by
Stanford University, where Irene Walenta and Duane “It’s giving me night- opening and closing their
she met her husband Joe Sargent. Betty met her lov- mares,” wrote a Reddit user mouths, making it appear as
Coulombe. Alice ardently Joe, ing husband, Eldie Snyder on Saturday, posting a pic- if they’re gasping for breath.
the founder of Trader Joe’s, at a Christmas dance at St.
as his vision for a new kind ture of what appeared to be a “I think this one drew
Dominic’s Church in Eagle
of grocery store evolved into dead moray eel on the beach. people’s people’s attention
Rock, CA where the two
the beloved brand. created a happy, open home The creature’s jaws were because of the way the teeth
where all were welcome and open, exposing its many and head look on the moray
Alice was known for her teeth. eel and the fact that it was
generosity and passion accepted. Based in their
strong Catholic faith, their Moray eels are common bleached out,” Ugoretz said
for the arts and Southern
joyful marriage was a blessing in Southern California, and of the online post.
California is the beneficiary
to everyone who knew them. they’ve washed ashore mul- The moray eel has a dou-
of her particular passion for
Betty raised her children with tiple times, according to Cal- ble row of pointed teeth that
opera. She co-founded
Metropolitan Associates, a glad spirit, easy patience, James Jerome Moiso ifornia Department of Fish angle backward, so once it
an even temper, and a loving November 19, 1941 - September 2, 2024 and Wildlife spokesperson bites something, its prey has
which raised funds to support
music education in schools. rocking lap. She devoted her Jerome Moiso, son of Alice O’Neill Moiso Avery (1917- Tim Daly. a really hard time escaping,
For many years, she co- life to the care of her family 2014) and James Robert Moiso (1917-2001), 7th generation “It looks like it might be a he added.
chaired the Western Division with strength, the purest of Californian, rode ahead and joined the Empty Saddles Trek little bleached from being The moray’s sharp teeth
of the Metropolitan Opera hearts, and true goodness. early Monday morning, September 2. He was eighty-two dead,” Daly said of the latest are coated in bacteria, so
National Council Auditions. She died peacefully in her years old. Survived by his wife, Judith; brothers, Tony Moiso visitor from Planet Moray. their bites can be not only
home surrounded by her (Melinda) and Doug Avery (Lisa); three generations of nieces
During the Olympic Arts The usual hue of the living painful but also cause infec-
Festival in 1984, she was a children and grand children. and nephews from a combined family; and his dog, Anna. version is greenish-brown, tion, according to the Mon-
key organizer for the visit of Services to be held 10/17 Predeceased by his first wife, Mary, and son, Jerome Joseph
and 10/18 please see cabo- according to John Ugoretz, terey Bay Aquarium. The
the Royal Opera. The success (“J.J.”). pelagic fisheries and ecosys- creatured don’t tend to bite,
of this visit garnered support tandsons.com Pasadena for
information. Born in Los Angeles, Jerome grew up in West Los Angeles tem program manager for however, unless scared or
for Alice’s vision of a LA-based the department. disturbed.
(Brentwood). He graduated from Brentwood Elementary
Opera Company. Many have
School, Harvard School ’59, and the University of Arizona ’63.
commented that, without
He was a kind, caring, giving, fun-loving person who loved
her drive, LA Opera would
his family, his friends – especially those from his high school
not have come into being.
days, the Fall River community, the “all outdoors,” traveling, in
As the LA Opera was being
established, Alice quickly
recognized the need for a
support group and founded
the old days surfing from Malibu south to San Onofre, skiing
and hiking in Sun Valley, Idaho, camping, especially at the PX
Ranch northeastern Nevada, hunting, fishing, a glass or two
Harris says she has
the LA Opera League with
her friends Carol Henry
and Lorraine Saunders. To
of great wine, beers with his pals, Maker’s Mark – neat, and
especially fishing with Judith the world over.
For many years, Jerome was an active, pacesetting member
not yet studied ballot
this day, the Opera League
retains Alice’s welcoming
spirit, hosting cast dinners,
musicales, and supporting
of El Viaje de Portola, the annual Orange County trail ride
celebrating the history of the American West and of California.
He rode the Ride’s first Spring Trek in 1964 from El Adobe in
San Juan Capistrano, across Rancho Mission Viejo, the Whiting
initiative on crime
artists. Alice chaired several Ranch, and the Irvine Ranch to the then new Saddleback Inn [Prop. 36, from B1] a position on Proposition 47.
committees as a member of
the board of LA Opera, and
Stories live on. on First Street in Santa Ana! behind Proposition 36, She had decided it would be
Jerome quietly supported numerous causes. Among his which has promoted its bi- a conflict of interest to weigh
became a Life Trustee in 2003.
She was also a Director of the
Tell theirs. many commitments are: Gun Owners of America, the National partisan support, donated in, a top aide said, because
Rifle Association, Mayers Memorial Hospital (Fall River), the $1 million to the California she was in charge of writing
Colburn School where sup- placeanad.latimes.com/obituaries Capuchin Fathers Foundation, Providence Mission Hospital, Republican Party in recent the title and ballot summa-
porting emerging musicians
Mission San Juan Capistrano Preservation Foundation, the weeks. ries that are presented be-
brought her tremendous joy
Harvard Westlake School, and St. Jude’s Medical Research Several polls have found fore voters.
in her final years.
Hospital. He knew that he was very fortunate and embraced strong voter support for Pro- Proposition 47 reduced
Alice was preceded in In partnership with the responsibility to “pay it forward.” position 36, despite opposi- the number of people serv-
death by her husband, tion from Gov. Gavin New- ing prison sentences for non-
Vaya con dios, nuestro gran amigo, Jerome! We toast you;
Joe, who passed away in
we thank you, for all the Good Times shared down through som and Democratic lead- violent theft and drug of-
2020. They are survived
the years. Please say “hello” to all our friends there with you in ers of the state Legislature. fenses, and redirected mil-
by three children and six
Heaven; and please keep the beer cold, for we’ll all be along If passed, Proposition 36 lions of dollars each year into
grandchildren.
in a little while. would change key parts of anti-recidivism programs.
In lieu of flowers, it is Jerome’s wish that you reach out and Proposition 47, a 2014 ballot Instead, Proposition 47
measure that was over- called for misdemeanor
Stories live on. Tell theirs. call an old friend and hug often your loved ones.
whelmingly approved by charges for individuals who
Jerome will be buried, at a later date this Autumn, privately
placeanad.latimes.com/obituaries Californians. steal merchandise valued
at the Rancho Mission Viejo Family Cemetery.
As attorney general at under $950 or commit some
O’Connor Mortuary (949) 581-4300 the time, Harris did not take drug crimes.
Brought to you by Legacy.com®
www.oconnormortuary.com
L AT I M E S . C O M F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 B5

Measure would raise council’s pay over 2,500%

[Torrance, from B1] Motor Co., said he would
the ballot. Supporters of the dedicate a portion of his new
measure, most of whom are salary to student schol-
council members, say com- arships.
pensation has not changed He said he’s spoken to his
in more than 65 years. They constituents about Measure
argue that higher pay is TC, noting that they were
needed so the positions ar- “very shocked” to learn that
en’t limited to retirees or the the role is considered volun-
wealthy. teer work and that council
Opponents say they members were paid only a
understand the argument monthly stipend.
for increasing the council’s “I don’t think any one of
pay but don’t like the way us do it for money,” Sheikh
the city is going about it. said. “This will not make
They accuse council mem- anyone rich. This will have
bers of not being transpar- some kind of incentive for
ent and argue that the lan- others to join.”
guage on the ballot is decep- A Times review of local
tive. Because the ballot mea- government salary data
sure sounds like it’s asking from the California State
voters to cap the council’s Controller’s Office placed
salary, critics say the city is the Torrance City Council’s
manipulating residents into salary as the second lowest
voting yes. compared to four Los Ange-
“At a bare minimum, it’s les County cities with similar
misleading, and I do know populations: Palmdale, Po-
that’s what has caused a big mona, Pasadena and Down-
stir in the community,” said ey.
Torrance resident G. Rick If Measure TC passes,
Marshall. “I think most peo- Torrance would become the
ple are saying, ‘Yeah, they highest-paid city council
need a pay raise.’ It’s just be- among those comparable
cause they don’t like to be cities.
manipulated.” David Johnston, a Tor-
Torrance Mayor George rance resident, raised con-
Chen defended the measure cerns about the lack of pub-
in an interview, saying that lic input on the measure and
council members are the was doubtful that council
lowest-paid city employees Carlin Stiehl For The Times members work 40 hours a
but are the highest-ranking MEMBERS of the Torrance City Council receive a $100 monthly stipend and are reimbursed for job expenses. week on city business.
officials. The positions are considered community service work, and most council members hold other full-time jobs. He argued that the cur-
“No one in the city makes rent City Council has a con-
less than $16 an hour — only said Chen, who served as a “only misleading if you more people to public serv- hours. It would amount to 40 flict of interest in the matter,
the mayor and the City council member before be- choose it to be misleading.” ice. hours every week of the year, given that the amendment
Council do. So ... we are lim- ing elected mayor in 2022. He said the higher salary “For those who are con- including holidays and re- would immediately apply to
iting it to the lowest pay,” The language, he said, is will help Torrance attract sidering running for City cess periods. them.
Council or mayor, who are Chen, who is retired, said “Why did they make it ap-
not retired or independently he spends about 50 to 60 ply to themselves before re-
wealthy, if they’re willing to hours a week in his role as election? Why would it apply
commit the time and work to mayor. He said he cannot to people who are already in

Feds allege a former Olympian serve effectively, they will

have a very hard time doing
this on a full-time basis with-
speak to how many hours a
week the other council mem-
bers work.
the position, who ran for
that position, when the com-
pensation is what it is to-

ran drug empire, ordered killings out suffering some financial

hardship,” Chen said.
The calculation for the
Councilmember Asam
Sheikh said in an interview
that his hours vary depend-
day,” Johnston said.
“Why not have it apply to
people elected after 2026, for
proposed annual salary ing on his work schedule, pri- example, and maybe even
[Olympian, from B1] would take California’s min- orities and concerns of his themselves, if reelected,” he
der, including of innocent ci- imum wage — which could constituents. The proposed added. “That would remove
vilians,” Estrada said. be raised to $18 an hour if salary was reasonable to the conflict of interest, or at
Prosecutors alleged that voters pass Proposition 32 him, he said. least a majority of the con-
Wedding — who was known on the statewide ballot — Sheikh, who works in fi- flict of interest that exists in
by many aliases, including and multiply it by 2,080 nance at American Honda the way that they did it.”
“El Jefe” and “Public Ene-
my” — ran the drug-traffick-
ing organization from 2011 to
2024 along with his second-
in-command, Andrew Clark.
Clark was arrested this
month in Mexico.
They moved 60 tons of co-
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caine per year, said

Estrada,who called the en-
terprise “extremely prolific.”
It was a $1-billion organiza- Collectibles and
tion, federal prosecutors Memorabilia
said. Prosecutors said as
part of their investigation, Baseball Cards
Cash paid 4 pre1975. Buying
prosecutors said they seized all SPORTS CARDS of any size
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books, Xmas decor, wrap- Intelligent Homes to families
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ing with a Canadian drug Estrada said, they ordered cution style, Estrada said. and much more. We are looking for people
transportation network the killings of an Indian cou- It is not the first time who share our same vision
to help fund the builds.
helmed by Hardeep Ratte ple visiting Canada who they Wedding has run afoul of the
and Gurpreet Singh. The co- believed had stolen a co- law. In 2008 he was arrested Ph or txt 249-525-7238 or
john@vxtechnologycorp.
caine was stored in Los An- caine shipment. It was a case on cocaine trafficking Your exclusive com
geles stash houses before it of mistaken identity. The charges. He was convicted of guide to SoCal
was taken to Canada in couple was shot to death in conspiracy to possess and real estate
trucks, prosecutors alleged. front of their daughter — distribute cocaine in federal listings.
Together, Wedding and who was also shot but sur- cout in San Diego in 2009 af-
Clark ruled their enterprise vived. ter a jury trial. Advertise Today Legal Notices
with an iron fist, Estrada In April 2024, Clark and As part of a joint investi-
said. another codefedenant, Ma- gation, 12 people were ar- “Notice of SERVICE BY
PUBLICATION is given
“They were killers. Any- lik Damion, ordered the rested in the U.S., Canada, LA Times
to JAIME RODRIGUEZ
Classified
one who got in their way they killing of a man in Ontario Colombia and Mexico in (800) 234-4444 SALANGA, who is being
would target with violence, who was shot to death in his connection with the drug used by Sal Garcia at the
Superior Court of Califor-
including murder,” he said. driveway, prosecutors said. trafficking enterprise. nia, Los Angeles.”
THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME
The duo would hire con- One month later, Wedding Authorities are offering a By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek
tract killers to take out hits and Clark allegedly had an- $50,000 reward to anyone
Unscramble these Jumbles,
Get the free JUST JUMBLE app • Follow us on Twitter @PlayJumble

on people who they believed other man killed over a drug who can provide informa- one letter to each square,
got in the way of their busi- debt as he sat in his car in his tion leading to the arrest of to form four ordinary words.
ness. driveway. Wedding.
UFDIL

Mom, grandfather charged CCUOH

in toddler’s fentanyl death ORPTOU

fentanyl, a highly potent ment-approved monitor.

By Rebecca Ellis drug that can be life-threat- The Times previously re-
TWCISH
ening to children in even the ported that the department
The mother and grand- smallest doses. had allowed Daniel, a friend Now arrange the circled letters
©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC to form the surprise answer, as
father of a 17-month-old Lan- Jessica Darthard, 39, was of Justin’s mother, to moni- All Rights Reserved. suggested by the above cartoon.
caster toddler who died of a in the home when Justin tor the visits without realiz-
fentanyl overdose have been died, and she appeared ine- ing that Daniel was living in
charged with his murder. briated, according to sher- the Lancaster home with
(Answers tomorrow)
The grandfather, Jessie iff ’s deputies at the scene. Jessie Darthard, 72, who had
Darthard, told sheriff ’s dep- She was arrested Tuesday a long history of heavy drug Jumbles: TIGHT FRONT GRATIS OBLONG
Yesterday’s
Answer: They tried to make a word from the jumbled
uties that he had fallen and is being held in lieu of use. letters but got — NOTHING OF THE SORT
asleep while smoking fen- $2.08 million bail. According to a motion
tanyl and awoke to his The Darthards and Dan- filed by prosecutors, fen-

PETS
grandson, Justin Bulley, ly- iel could not be reached for tanyl and methamphet-
ing motionless next to him comment. L.A. County pros- amine were later discovered MARKETPLACE
on the couch. ecutors filed the charges in the home. To advertise your pets, log on to
placeanad.latimes.com/pets-for-sale
The mother, Jessica against them on Sept. 26. Jessie Darthard had pre-
Darthard, was charged with The Department of Chil- viously been identified by
felony child abuse causing dren and Family Services law enforcement as a
death, as was Secret Daniel, had placed Justin and his “known street heroin dealer”
who had been approved by two older siblings with a fos- who had been arrested
the Los Angeles County De- ter mother the year before multiple times, the motion Dogs
partment of Children and Justin’s death, after his said.
Family Services to supervise mother’s boyfriend fatally Jessica Darthard’s two VIZSLA AKC Championship Bloodline Vizsla Puppies 2
the mother’s visits with overdosed on fentanyl with other children and Daniel’s males 3 females. Great family
dogs and hunters. They melt
Justin. the children at home. three children tested pos- in your arms the most loving
An autopsy showed that On the day Justin died, itive for fentanyl exposure things in the world. $1800
10% deposit required. Will
Justin died Feb. 18 after in- he was visiting his mother, after Justin’s death, accord- drop off in Sourthern Califor-
gesting a fatal amount of with Daniel as the depart- ing to the filing. nia. Puppies are ready to be
homed. 6616199508
LAT I M E S . C O M / E N T E RTA I N M E N T F R I DAY , O C T O B E R 18 , 2 0 2 4 E5

COMICS

SUDOKU BRIDGE
next heart, led a diamond to one spade. An alternative,
By Frank Stewart dummy, returned a trump to which is also imperfect,
his seven and took the king. would be to open one heart.
“Let me show you a game When the diamond finesse
I invented,” the Serpent told won, he had 10 tricks. South dealer
Adam and Eve in the Gar- Eve was tempted — and N-S vulnerable
den of Eden. “I call it succumbed. When declarer
NORTH
‘bridge.’ ” leads the 10 of trumps, he ♠ 10 6 2
After recruiting a fourth must be trying to induce a ♥A84
from the Land of Nod, the cover. If East plays low, the ♦ A K J 10 5
Serpent became declarer at Serpent won’t have a leg to ♣74
four spades. Adam led the stand on. He will lose two WEST EAST
♠Q ♠J985
king of hearts as West, and trumps, a heart and a club. ♥KQJ2 ♥9753
the Serpent took dummy’s You hold: ♠ Q ♥ K Q J 2 ♦Q82 ♦63
ace and deviously led ... the ♦ Q 8 2 ♣ A J 9 6 5. You are the ♣AJ965 ♣832
10 of trumps. dealer. What is your opening SOUTH
“I can resist anything ex- call? ♠AK743
cept temptation,” Eve mut- Answer: You have 15 high- ♥ 10 6
tered, and she covered with card points and a decent ♦974
her jack. five-card suit. Some experts ♣ K Q 10
The Serpent took the ace, would advocate opening SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
noting the fall of Adam’s 1NT despite the unbalanced 1♠ Dbl Redbl Pass
queen. He next led the three distribution, but I can’t go Pass 2♣ 2♦ Pass
2♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass
of trumps to dummy’s six. along with that. I would pre-
Eve won with the eight, fer to underbid slightly by Opening lead — ♥ K
and defense cashed a heart, opening one club, intending
KENKEN but the Serpent ruffed the to bid 1NT over a response of Tribune Content Agency
Every box will contain a number; numbers depend on the size of the grid. For a 6x6
puzzle, use Nos. 1-6. Do not repeat a number in any row or column. The numbers in each
heavily outlined set of squares must combine to produce the target number found in the
top left corner of the cage using the mathematical operation indicated. A number can be ASKING ERIC
repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.

Dear Eric: I am a 53-year- you’re a human and they are thing seemed great. But
old widower who has been regal beings who graciously suddenly John and Joy are
dating the same guy for tolerate humanity, you’re at terrified that my husband
more than a year. Fred is 56 a bit of a disadvantage. and I and her parents won’t
and has been divorced for His challenge is going to like each other and that the
more than 10 years. be figuring out how to fit a evening will be awkward and
Three months after we relationship into his life. And awful.
started dating, he an- he should do that work. But John wants us to tell Joy’s
nounced that the weekend if you give him the ultima- parents we decided it would
trip we were planning on go- tum “the cats or me,” you’re be better to meet “in a neu-
ing on was off because he not going to win. Nor should tral place” like a restaurant,
could not find a suitable sit- you. When we start dating in case we want to cut dinner
ter for his three cats. I told someone, we date the whole short.
him that I was disappointed, person — the good, the bad, How can I invite them
so he compromised and de- the furry, et cetera. Some of and then uninvite them and
cided to take the three cats those things are going to be have it not be awkward? We
10/18/24 with us! Fred spent the en- deal breakers. would never think of asking
tire weekend playing with So you have to decide if them to meet us in a restau-
the cats, brushing the cats, you’re willing to be in a rela- rant and certainly wouldn’t
talking with the cats and he tionship with someone who suggest it after they ac-
HOROSCOPE spent an hour trying to coax acts this way. If it’s worth it cepted our invitation.
Mr. Whiskers from under the to you, then you should apol- When the time comes, we
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): from pacing and space. bed. ogize and tell him the truth. intend to respect our kids’
By Holiday Mathis You’re always in the process Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. Fred talks nonstop about “I want to feel valued in this decisions with their wed-
of improvement. You know 18): Meaningful lifestyle up- his cats; on the rare occasion relationship. I’m not trying dings, their babies, every-
Aries (March 21-April 19): you’re worthy, lovable and grades can’t be bought with we go out, he’s constantly to separate you from your thing, but doing what
Discipline is the structure enough without making a money because what means checking his security cam- cats. How can we work to- they’re asking here feels like
that brings you freedom. It’s single change, but it’s fun to most is love. Wherever you eras to see what the cats are gether to build a life that fits we’re insulting Joy’s parents
the routine that must be hear one who loves you rein- feel warmth and belonging, doing. I’m beginning to us and also your love for your right off the bat. What do we
tended for more exciting and force the notion today. you feel fortunate indeed. think that Fred cares more cats?” do?
preferred routines to exist. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Pisces (Feb. 19-March about his cats than he cares Rescinded Invite
Taurus (April 20-May You sense how to give the at- 20): Selflessness leads to about me. When I told Fred Dear Eric: After asking my
20): You make things better. tention another wants, wisdom. When you become that I felt that he was spend- adult son “John” and his girl- Dear Invite: Your invita-
You’re a reason people con- which makes it all the more less attached to the way you ing too much time with his friend “Joy” for their permis- tion seems kind and reason-
nect. You’ll fulfill your des- lovely when you are the re- want things to be, you are furry friends, he got angry sion, we invited Joy’s par- able and, ultimately, doesn’t
tiny as a guest in more cipient of that art today. able to see what actually is. and hung up the phone. He ents over for dinner, to meet have anything to do with Joy
places than an official party. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): Today’s birthday (Oct. hasn’t called me in three and get to know them a little. and John’s anxieties. So
Gemini (May 21-June 21): It’s smart to doubt yourself. 18): You’ll minimize some days. Should I call him and We entertain a lot, so this in- don’t change your plans. You
Most people aren’t quite the But doubt should last a mo- areas to maximize what apologize, or should I wait vitation was easy for us. can ask your son and his girl-
conversationalists they ment — a pause for reflec- works best. You’ll notice an for him to cool off and call me Our kids have been hap- friend what the root of their
think they are. The excellent tion, research and strategy, aesthetic built around you, when he’s ready? pily living together for two concern is, but you’re al-
listeners like you will stand not existential crisis. Keep respecting you and how you Cat’s Out of the Bag years; they’re wonderful to- lowed to have anyone you
out and gain respect today. positive and keep moving. move through the world. gether and are planning to want over to your home for
Cancer (June 22-July 22): Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Highlights: two large cele- Dear Cat’s: Fred’s relation- get engaged very soon. We dinner without their say.
Consistency of emotion is Dec. 21): Before you let fear brations; ancestral healing ship with his cats is much love Joy!
like sunny skies for relation- manage your schedule, con- and gifts; powerful new uses longer than his relationship Joy’s parents accepted Email questions to
ships. Unpredictable behav- sider that there may be zero of your talent. Capricorn with you. So even though our invitation, and every- eric@askingeric.com.
ioral shifts cause storms. expectation of you beyond and Aries adore you. Lucky
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): simply showing up. numbers: 10, 2, 22, 45, 13.
You don’t always have the Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. FAMILY CIRCUS By Bil Keane DENNIS THE MENACE By Hank Ketcham
luxury of being in the right 19): You can’t be everything Mathis writes her column
setting to fully work through to another person, but you’ll for Creators Syndicate Inc.
a feeling, but there is a bene- enjoy making someone’s life The horoscope should be
fit to processing while fresh. easier. Relationships benefit read for entertainment.

CROSSWORD
Edited By Patti Varol
By Josh Horowitz © 2024 Tribune Content Agency
ACROSS
1 Map out
5 With 5-Down, summer
shirt
9 Keeping folks
waiting
13 Brontë heroine
14 Woodwind played by
Andy Mackay of Roxy
Music
15 Ireland, poetically
16 What poker chips might
do?
19 Stretch, as one’s neck FREE RANGE By Bill Whitehead MARMADUKE By Brad & Paul Anderson
20 __ and aahs
21 Business letters?
23 Starpilot and smuggler
Solo
24 No. cruncher
27 Rival
28 Scottish no
29 What people waiting in
a long line might do?
33 Synthesizer brand
34 By land __
35 Folder’s loss
38 Cabs
41 Spy-fi side
42 Knobs
44 Words of clarification
46 What people who 6 Law school accrediting 47 Goddess often depicted
eschew online banking org. holding an ankh
might do? 7 Double negative? 48 Masonry mixture
50 Sat 8 Early topic in music 49 Marry
51 Brandy bottle letters theory 54 Tell off
52 Corvallis sch. 9 Allow use of for a fee 55 Home country of
53 “Never hurts to __” 10 Pt. of ETA marathon world record
56 Fed. stipend 11 Neat quality holder Kelvin Kiptum
57 Like good angel food 12 Captures 58 Handsome Dan’s school
BLISS By Harry Bliss SPEED BUMP By Dave Coverly
cake 17 Holy city of Islam 60 __ Spunkmeyer
59 Rolls partner 18 Singer Jay known as the 62 Philosophy
61 Summertime chore, “King of Mandopop” 63 Young boy
or an apt title for this 22 Civil rights activist 64 Microdosing initials
puzzle Chavez ANSWER TO
65 Immense 25 Fruity Pebbles maker PREVIOUS PUZZLE
66 Woeful sigh 26 Ulaanbaatar’s locale
67 In a thumb-twiddling 30 Common flashlight
way battery
68 Shady trees 31 __ waste
69 Comedian Foxx 32 Footlocker
70 Egg cream component 35 “Vice” Oscar nominee
Amy
DOWN 36 “Wow, you almost
1 Cobbler fruit dropped that!”
2 Sports bra fabric 37 Strategic
3 Obscure stuff 39 Intro to a texter’s two
4 Like Crayola’s cents
Unmellow Yellow and 40 Catches on
Atomic Tangerine 43 Learned experts
5 See 5-Across 45 Luxury Honda brand 10/18/24