The most important stories for you to know today
People view the Los Angeles River swollen by storm runoff as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, continues to impact Southern California on February 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Much of Southern California is under a flood watch as another multiday winter storm heads toward our already rain-soaked region starting today, bringing what the National Weather Service is calling"a significant risk of flooding, as well as mudslides and landslides."Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to hit late Sunday and continue on and off until Wednesday morning.Much of Southern California is under a flood watch as another multiday winter storm heads toward our already rain-soaked region starting today, bringing what the National Weather Service is calling"a significant risk of flooding, as well as mudslides and landslides." Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to hit late Sunday and continue on and off until Wednesday morning. Ventura County and areas northward like Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo are expected to get more and harder rainfall, but NWS meteorologist David Gomberg said Los Angeles County should not let down its guard. " probably not going to be the winner this time in terms of overall rain, but certainly you could see impact because of those higher intensity rates," Gomberg said."And really keep in mind, it's not going to take much rain to cause major problems down in Los Angeles County because you have greater vulnerability in those areas, especially up in the Santa Monica and the Hollywood Hills." This latest storm, expected to clear out by Wednesday, comes on the heels of back-to-back atmospheric rivers that brought record rain and caused widespread damage to the Los Angeles region, including Gomberg also warned of coastal flooding, particularly in Santa Barbara and Malibu on Tuesday morning. Mayor Karen Bass has announced a number of measures to prepare for this storm, including extending the operating hours of 311 on Sunday and Monday until 10:00 p.m. She said multiple agencies from the Los Angeles Police Department to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are on standby to provide assistance.Properties in the vicinity of Sycamore Creek, from Stanwood Dr. down to parts of Ninos Dr., in the city of Santa Barbara. Properties in the vicinity of Mission Creek, from Cota St. down to Highway 101 and between Chapala St. and Castillo St., in the city of Santa BarbaraWidespread rain is expected throughout the region starting tonight, and won't clear out until at least Wednesday morning. The heaviest rain is expected in Ventura County and northward, but the storm still brings threats of flooding, landslides and mudslides to Greater Los Angeles."An extended storm Sun-Wed will likely bring periods of heavy rain, mountain snow, strong winds, flooding and possible power outages. Flood Watch in effect for portions of all 4 counties, Sun PM-Wed AM."What you should be on the lookout forshould be on the lookout for indications of land movement, including the formation of new cracks, the fracturing of underground utilities, doors and windows falling out of plumb and sounds of creaks and groans coming from the ground. are how the NWS begins to raise the alarm. The goal is to give people enough time to take action. is issued when a hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. When one is issued for your area, you need to get to higher ground immediately.issued when a flash flood is coming or in progress. Flash floods are sudden and violent floods that can start within minutes.Don't drive through standing water — as little as 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars, and two feet can carry away SUVs and trucks.Dial 911 if it's an emergency. However, if you need to report a flooded road or a downed tree, you can call the following non-emergency numbers:Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops. Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they are fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they may pose a significant fire hazard. If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, remember to exit away from downed power lines and exit by jumping from the vehicle and landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away. Water and electricity don’t mix. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Do not step in or enter any water that a downed power line may be touching. Do not use any equipment inside that is designed for outdoor heating or cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases. If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews. Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep food as fresh as possible. Place blocks of ice inside to help keep food cold. Check food carefully for signs of spoilage. residential units to have heating systems that can keep indoor temperatures at a minimum of 70 degrees. That means every dwelling unit and guest room offered for rent or lease should offer heating equipment, usually central air conditioning or a wall heater. — Cranking things like the A/C and wall heaters can be expensive. If money is tight, be judicious about how and when you use your utilities. For example, only use heaters at night or only set the thermostat to around 70 degrees.If you have central A/C, look at where the vents are around your home. Are any open in places where you don’t stay long? Practice opening and closing those so warm air only goes where you need it . Humidifiers can also help you warm things up — and it’s useful to add moisture into our dry air.If you have a wall heater, you can change the output by adjusting the knob . Since wall heaters can only warm the areas where they’re placed, it’s essential to close doors to rooms you won’t be in so hot air doesn’t get wasted.If you have a ceiling fan, try turning it on. This sounds counterintuitive, but there’s science behind it. The direction a fan turns can push air in different directions, and since hot air floats up, you’ll want to move that around. Your fan should This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources . Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.Topline: A collection of historical artifacts belonging to the Asante kingdom is back in the kingdom's possession as of February 5.The Feb. 5 returning of the artifacts took place on the 150-year anniversary of the day British soldiers looted the Asante city of Kumasi.Museum staff began the process in 2019, when they realized by checking the paperwork that accompanied the items' donation that they had been stolen or obtained through indemnity payments after a war between the British Empire and the Asante.The Fowler Museum is working on identifying other items that can be repatriated. The items were returned to the Asante king unconditionally.A collection of historical artifacts belonging to the Asante kingdom is back in the kingdom's possession as of February 5. The returning of the artifacts, which took place on the 150-year anniversary of the day British soldiers looted the Asante city of Kumasi, is a part of a growing movement among museums in the U.S. and across the world to return unethically obtained artifacts and human remains from around the world. The Asante kingdom, located in what is now Ghana, fought British colonists during the 19th century, during which time British troops stole items from the Asante people or demanded them as indemnity payments after the war — including the seven newly returned artifacts.The process of repatriating the artifacts started in 2019, while museum staff researching its African collection learned the full story of how they came into the museum's possession, according to the Fowler Museum's senior curator of African art Erica Jones. They were originally a gift from theJones said that the decision to repatriate the artifacts was an easy one — once the Fowler Museum's staff realized that the artifacts had been stolen, they contacted the Asante king through an intermediary, musicologist Kwasi Ampene of Tufts University, and worked out how best to return the objects. Fowler Museum director Silvia Forni and Manhyia Palace Museum Director Ivor Agyeman-Duah sign documents formally restoring the artifacts to the possession of the Asante kingdom.The hardest part, Jones said, was a lengthy bureaucratic process that made it more difficult to meet the Asante king's requested deadline — the Feb. 5 anniversary of their looting. "One of the pieces that we returned is an elephant tail fly whisk, and elephants are endangered, and transporting endangered species is restricted," Jones said. Jones said the museum had to get a special permit from the U.S. government to transport this artifact as a result, even though it was over 150 years old. In addition to bureaucratic hurdles, the Fowler Museum also grappled with ethical concerns related to returning the items. "This is also in some ways like reopening old wounds, and this was something that the king said to us as well," Jones said."Returns are not as simple as just giving something back and saying, 'Isn't this great?' There is also something that happens on the other end of it." But as for the moment when the artifacts were publicly presented to the Asante people — Jones, who traveled to Ghana to deliver them by hand, said it was a joyous moment as people crowded around and surrounded the objects in order to handle them. "There's this precious quality to the way museum professionals handle things," Jones said."It was a very fulfilling handing Four of the artifacts were looted directly, while three were obtained as part of post-war negotiations between the Asante and the British military, when the Asantehene — the traditional title of the Asante king — was ordered to give up 50,000 ounces of gold to the British.The record of the looting was surprisingly complete — it was even documented in the papers accompanying the items when the Wellcome Trust gave them to the Fowler Museum in 1965. "We were looking at documentation that really hadn't been looked at since we received the gift, and on that documentation, it said, 'looted by,' with individual's names, on February 5th of 1874," Jones said. Even though they've been returned to their original owners, visitors to the Fowler Museum will still be able to see representations of these works. With the permission of the current Asantehene, the Fowler Museum made 3D renderings of the artifacts, which the museum has permission to display for future visitors.The Fowler Museum's returning of these artifacts comes as part of a growing movement to repatriate items in museum collections that were unethically obtained, especially human remains.last year to return objects to their nations of origin. The Fowler Museum has already returned the majority of its collection of human remains.removed human remainsJones said that while every repatriation is different, she hopes that future efforts to return artifacts to the African continent can build on the framework established in this case. "We're a part of UCLA and we needed to formalize all kinds of policies for returning that didn't really exist," she said."I personally have a number of returns that I would love to see happen over the coming years. But we have a better sense of what to expect now in terms of what are potential roadblocks and hurdles that we'll have to encounter in the process."LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: An aerial view of graffiti spray painted by taggers on at least 27 stories of an unfinished skyscraper development located downtown on February 2, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Construction of the $1 billion Oceanwide Plaza luxury real estate development stalled in 2019 after a China-based developer ran out of funding leaving the three-tower project uncompleted. The L.A. City Council approved nearly $4 million in city funds on Friday for the unfinished Oceanwide Plaza towers in downtown that have been in the spotlight since photos of its graffitied exterior went viral weeks ago.$1.1 million of the city's funds will go to fence off the property, while $2.7 million will fund security and removal of the graffiti tagging on about 30 floors of the towers.to remove the graffiti from the towers and fence off the abandoned luxury complex. The council allotted the funding after it became clear that Oceanwide would not meet the deadline. The L.A. City Council approved nearly $4 million in city funds on Friday for the unfinished Oceanwide Plaza towers in downtown that have been in the spotlight since photos of its graffitied exterior went viral weeks ago. Just days ago, aThe motion was authored by Councilman Kevin de León, whose Council District 14 covers the area where the buildings are located. It allots the money for graffiti removal and security of the three towers near the Crypto.com Arena. It hopes to recoup the funds from the developer, Chinese firm Oceanwide Holdings Co. Ltd. Construction.$1.1 million of the city's funds will go to fence off the property, while $2.7 million will fund security and removal of the graffiti tagging on about 30 floors of the towers. The council also directed the city attorney to find a legal avenue to recoup the money from Oceanwide.to remove the graffiti from the towers and fence off the abandoned luxury complex. The council allotted the funding after it became clear that Oceanwide would not meet the deadline. Construction of the towers began in 2015 before stalling in 2019 after the developer ran out of funds. In January, the city declared the property was substandard"due to inadequate sanitation caused by general dilapidation or improper maintenance."Oceanwide and city officials have both been players in federal investigations of city officials for bribery and money laundering. Oceanwide, along with former L.A. city councilmen Curren Price and José Huizar,in an FBI search warrant against the email account of Raymond Chan, the former head of the L.A. Department of Building and Safety.In 2016, prison medical staff in California began carrying naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses and is often sold under the Narcan brand. Seven years later, it was made centrally available in every housing unit for officers’ emergency use.Drug overdose deaths in California state prisons rebounded to near record levels last year even as corrections officials touted the state’s intervention methods as a model for prisons and jails across the United States.data the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is required to report under a new state law. That’s more than double the number who died of overdoses in each of 2020 and 2021 .With a lower prison population than in previous years, California’s 2023 numbers represent a record high overdose death rate of at least 62 per 100,000 prisoners — and the numbers are likely to rise further as the cause of death is determined in some cases.Drug overdose deaths in California state prisons rebounded to near record levels last year even as corrections officials touted the state’s intervention methods as a model for prisons and jails across the United States.data the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is required to report under a new state law. That’s more than double the number who died of overdoses in each of 2020 and 2021 . Prison officials would not provide the number of overdose deaths in 2022, saying they are still being analyzed for a report to be released later this year. But attorneys representing prisoners said they believe there were substantially more fatal overdoses in 2022 than in the previous two years. The new numbers are a big setback for state officials, who poured resources into overdose prevention efforts after a record 64 overdose deaths in 2019 gave California prisons the highest drug overdose death rate of any state correctional system in the United States. With nearly 94,000 state prisoners, California is one of the nation’s largest providers of medication-assisted drug treatment. The prisoners’ attorneys still support California’s“Fentanyl. That’s I think probably the main cause from what I hear,” said Don Specter, a lead attorney in the major class-action lawsuit over poor medical care of California prisoners, referring to the synthetic opioid at the heart of the nation’s overdose crisis. “Nothing else has really changed too much. It’s very pervasive.” With a lower prison population than in previous years, California’s 2023 numbers represent a record high overdose death rate of at least 62 per 100,000 prisoners — and the numbers are likely to rise further as the cause of death is determined in some cases. “National data has shown an alarming increase of overdose deaths across the country, largely driven by synthetic opioids ,” Ike Dodson, a spokesperson for California Correctional Health Care Services, said in an email. He added that prison officials “continue to evaluate substance use disorder treatment to improve the safety and well-being of all who live or work in a state correctional facility, including plans to broadly expand access to Narcan,” an overdose reversal device. In January 2020, when the prison population was about 124,000, the state began using drugs like buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone to lessen drug users’ cravings and the crash of withdrawal symptoms while helping them stay away from dangerous opioids. The new program’s focus on medication-assisted treatment appeared to be working after deaths fell to 23 that year. The medication-assisted treatment is one of five core components of the prison system’s approach: screening every arriving prisoner for substance abuse; use of medication where needed; therapy; supportive housing in prisons; and pre-release planning and post-release assistance. Officials say all five have now begun to varying degrees, atBy 2021, the prisons’ reported overdose death rate fell to 25 per 100,000, less than half the rate before the program began and well below the overall national average. There also was a nearly one-third drop in drug-related hospitalizations and emergency room visits among California prisoners receiving the medication-assisted treatment, researchers for the program said in aCalifornia’s “immediate and significant” progress in reducing deaths, emergency hospitalizations, and drug abuse-related infections. While the use of medications to help keep prisoners from using opioids is rapidly expanding, it remains underused nationally in other prison and jail systems, the report said. But last year’s preliminary overdose death toll in the state’s prisons was close to the record numbers of 2018 and 2019. Overdoses likely caused 11 deaths in October, according to attorneys representing prisoners — the most they had seen in a month. Drug-related hospitalizations also have seen a more recent surge, attorneys representing prisoners said, citing the state’s data in a December court filing. Efforts to crack down on the smuggling of drugs and other contraband into prisons have had limited effect.There were 236 smuggling arrests last calendar year, up significantly from the 2020-21 and 2021-22 fiscal years and similar to 2019-20 but about one-third fewer than in 2018-19., which include fentanyl and other opioids, were up about 14% through the first nine months of 2023, the last data available, over the same period a year earlier. Prison medical staff began carrying naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses and is often sold under the Narcan brand, in 2016. Only in late September 2023 was it made centrally available in every housing unit for officers’ emergency use. “That’s a good start, but all officers should carry the medication, which should be administered as quickly as possible to be most effective,” said Steven Fama, another attorney who represents prisoners and tracks prison treatment programs. J. Clark Kelso, the federal court-appointed receiver who controls prison medical care in California, said during a court hearing in December that he is considering using his authority to obtain more naloxone. Fama said fewer than 10% of prisoners had been offered naloxone to carry for emergency use, with prison officials citing supply shortages for the delay in broader distribution. The first group of state prisoners to be offered naloxone was at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County in August 2023. It had been averaging 35 overdoses a month, fatal and nonfatal, between October 2022 and March 2023, or more than one a day. California “is leading the nation in this area,” prison officials said in the court filing, citing in part its policy of offering naloxonewith a private manufacturer to produce a lower-cost generic form of naloxone nasal spray and expects to have it available by the end of 2024. Despite the recent surge, California’s program “has and does save lives, and change lives,” Fama said. “Without this treatment the number of overdoses, we believe, would be far larger.” is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs atApplied Behavior Analysis is a type of therapy that is commonly, but not exclusively, used as an intervention for people with autism. Research into it dates back to the 1950s, and although it's assisted many autistic children, the growing number of kids diagnosed has shown a need for alternatives.Although ABA is a commonly used intervention for autism, and the only kind of therapy that's approved for coverage by insurance and Medicaid in all 50 states, some in the autistic community have voiced the need for alternate interventions for children., making a better understanding of the utility of ABA as an autism intervention as well as alternative treatment options a growing need for families.Applied Behavior Analysis is a type of therapy that can be used to treat a variety of different behaviors, but its most common application is as a form of therapy for people with autism. ABA research dates back to the 1950s, with its official certification starting in 1998. Today, ABA is the only method of intervention for autism that is approved for coverage by insurance providers and Medicaid in every state. But as many experts on autism and ABA therapy will tell you, a singular therapy can't be a one-size-fits-all proposition, even though ABA is seen by many practitioners as a flexible approach. Finding out the best approach for your child or loved one on the autism spectrum can be overwhelming and leave parents and caregivers unsure of how to best assist. There are a wide range of perspectives on ABA therapy and its utility as therapy for people with autism, so LAist talked with experts with a range of perspectives on the utility of ABA and what alternatives exist out there if you feel ABA isn't the right approach.The explanation for the rising cases, she said, came from the medical community's changing understanding of what autism is. Originally, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders defined autism as someone who exhibits restrictive, repetitive behavior and deficits in social interactions. Though this was an established notion for decades, a growing concern became prevalent as more varying cases of autism were diagnosed over the years. "Instead of just thinking of autism as individuals with an intellectual impairment, no adaptive skills, no language, no communication... we had a lot of children that were very bright, IQs way above range, they spoke and they had some adaptive skills," Blacher said."And yet, the same intervention procedures were used with all of them."The idea that ABA can be traumatic for patients goes back to Ole Ivar Lovaas, a clinical psychologist and pioneer in ABA research who "I will say that Lovaas is often quoted as using punishments and aversives, which are unacceptable," said Dr. Sneha Kohli Mathur, an ABA practitioner and psychology professor at USC."However, if you look at the history of ABA, it goes way back to B.F. Skinner in the 1950s, the goal always been to help people thrive in their lives, not to assimilate or behave normally or neurotypically." Mathur said if possible, it's important for the autistic person to be consulted about the kind of therapy and intervention they're receiving, because uncommunicative parents can sometimes ignore or overcorrect behaviors. " figuring out what's important to them to work on, teaching self advocacy skills and emotional regulation and skills related to safety or health, not focusing on compliance as has been the issue in the past. I recognize that a lot of autistic folks have been through traumatic experiences with ABA and I don't want to be dismissive of that," said Mathur. And that can lead to a lack of trust in child-parent relationships, or make kids feel they aren't"good enough," said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy for the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network . "Doing what's called camouflaging autism, or purposefully masking your autistic traits... is associated with increased likelihood of suicidal ideation, as well as anxiety, depression, and stress," Gross added.For those seeking alternative treatments, Gross stressed that therapy assessments should be set on a practitioner-to-practitioner basis. "There's occupational therapy speech-language therapy that can be used to teach either oral speech or the use of communication devices," Gross said.In California, awareness of this conversation surrounding the effectiveness of ABA as an autism intervention led to the proposal of a law to expand available treatments for kids in the state with autism. The legislation, "What we want to see in the end is people with better options, helping them learn self-advocacy, about their disability, and how to navigate the world with it," Gross said.An aerial image shows homes along Scenic Drive standing on the edge of a cliff above the Pacific Ocean after a landslide following heavy rains in Dana Point, California, on February 15, 2024.Soils in places like Santa Barbara and L.A. Counties are quite saturated after last week’s storms, which brought more than a year’s worth of rain to some spots, which raises the risk of landslides with this next storm system.There’s a limit to how much water soils can carry. When they’re saturated and a huge burst of rain comes along, the pressure from the water can push individual grains apart, causing a landslide.We can’t pinpoint exactly where landslides will occur, but if you’re in a steep, slide prone area, or if the last rainstorm caused noticeable erosion around your home, you should take precautions.Last week’s storms not only brought an immense amount of rain to California, they caused more than 240 landslides across the state, Stories have continued to trickle in about homes and lives being threatened, as hillsides, compromised by the heavy rainfall, have continued to erode. Now, with another big storm expected to move in this weekend, experts warn that another round of heavy rainfall could cause more widespread damage. Multi-million-dollar homes crouched on a Dana Point clifftop got a little bit closer to the edge when a landslide brought tons of rock and soil crashing into the sea on February 15, 2024.Soils have a limited water carrying capacity, and given that some spots were recently saturated with more than a year’s worth of precipitation in just a few days, the risk of landslides is very real, especially with this next storm that’s expected to bring anywhere from 2 to 8 inches of rain. “If we get intense bursts of rain on top of saturated soils I wouldn’t be surprised by reports like we saw last week or even worse,” said Jason Kean, a research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Kean’s part of a research group that’s installed a number of soil probes in the San Gabriels and the mountains above Santa Barbara in an effort to study landslide activity. “These five holes in the ground are indicating we are around 60% saturated. How representative those are for the entire listening area is difficult to say,” he said. The probes extend from the soil surface all of the way down to the bedrock, measuring how the pockets of air between all the individual particles of soil are filling up with water. When positive pressure is detected at the end of the probe, it means there’s standing water along the bedrock and the soil is getting saturated. A view of mudslide damage which destroyed a home as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, continues to impact Southern California on February 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Too much water and the pressure between the grains can grow to a point where they struggle to stick together — kind of like when you add too much water to a sandcastle and it collapses. There are many factors that can influence a landslide, including the composition of the soil , the steepness of the grade, whether soil has had time to dry out between heavy bursts of rain, and how humans have affected the movement of water with construction and drainage. It’s unclear exactly how much water is needed to trigger a collapse, but long standing guidance estimates that it’s about 10 inches of rain followed by a quarter inch burst within an hour, the latter of which isn’t all that much. “That's what you saw in the storms of last week,” said California state geologist Jeremy Lancaster. “That storm just sat there and chugged on Monday and Tuesday.”According to Kean, when last year's cavalcade of atmospheric rivers brought more than 15 inches of rain to our area in early January, more than 7,000 landslides were triggered in the Santa Ynez mountains. While they didn’t greatly impact public infrastructure, they did do damage to Forest Service roadways. This is one of the event's Kean and his team are looking at to better determine when and why hillsides fail.Given how saturated soils are, look out for heavy bands of rain. If you're in a slide prone area or if the last rainstorm caused noticeable erosion around your home, stay on your toes. If you hear creaking, see pipes break or cracks open up, a deep seated, catastrophic landslide may be imminent, and you should exit your home as fast as possible. I covered thisThe National Weather Service is in communication with USGS about potentially hazardous rainfall totals. Make sure to log into LAist.com or to our live audio stream, where we’ll be talking about the latest hazards.Millions of OC Funds Unaccounted For, LA Hotline For Unhoused Angelenos Overwhelmed, & Get Computer Help At The Library — The P.M. EditionThe LA ReportA person pulls a shopping cart down the street during heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, in south Los Angeles.People without shelter could face another round of long wait times to find beds through the 211 hotline as yet anotherThe city of Los Angeles and L.A. County, which funds the nonprofit 211 hub, were notified about the long wait times, frustrated callers, insufficient funding, and inaccurate availability more than eight months ago. However, limited steps were taken to fix those concerns before the Augmented Winter Shelter Program was activated again earlier this month, leaving advocates frustrated with the official response to extreme weather events.More than 12,500 calls came through from Feb. 1 through Feb. 13, but with just 13 operators, they were only able to answer 38% of them.In a May 2023 report sent to the city, county, and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority , 211 LA outlined major operational challenges from the 2022-23 winter shelter season, including having only “one-third of the resources necessary to handle the call volume.”L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman, whose fourth district covers parts of Silver Lake, Hollywood Hills, and Van Nuys, asked what changes are being made to prevent long wait times for future storms, and the chief operating officer for 211 LA referred back to the May report. People without shelter could face another round of long wait times to find beds through the 211 hotline as yet another people were waiting an average of three hours to reach a 211 operator and get connected to a bed, if they got through at all. The city of Los Angeles and L.A. County, which funds the nonprofit 211 hub, were notified about the long wait times, frustrated callers, insufficient funding, and inaccurate availability more than eight months ago. However, limited steps were taken to fix those concerns before the Augmented Winter Shelter Program was activated again earlier this month, leaving advocates frustrated with the official response to extreme weather events.When LAist called 211 on Feb. 5 as the second atmospheric river was pummeling the region, it took three hours and 30 minutes to get through to someone. That was a little longer than the average experience for most callers that day and the Sunday before, according to Amy Latzer, the chief operating officer for 211 LA. More than 12,500 calls came through from Feb. 1 through Feb. 13, but with just 13 operators, they were only able to answer 38% of them. “That means during the peak, you're never going to have more than maybe nine people answering calls, and there's thousands of calls coming in for assistance,” she added.In a May 2023 report sent to the city, county, and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority , 211 LA outlined major operational challenges from the 2022-23 winter shelter season, including having only “one-third of the resources necessary to handle the call volume.” They had 17 operators available during that time period, which is four more than this season, but just a third of what the report said is necessary to staff 211 around the clock. The average wait time was 55 minutes, but the longest was more than 13 hours and 25 minutes, which the report said caused anger and frustration among callers. Overall, 211 said it’s clear the response was insufficient to meet demand, and the report made a dozen recommendations to better prepare for the next weather-activated emergency. “I don't think we got a response from anyone,” Latzer said. “I think there was acknowledgement — like received, thank you — but there really wasn’t any action.” Communication did improve this time around, the availability was updated more frequently, and the hundreds of beds and vouchers the city and county added were critical, Latzer said, however, she noted that the need far outstrips the resources available.The 388 beds that were available through LAHSA’s Seasonal Winter Program were at capacity, and all the 459 additional beds through the Augmented Winter Shelter Program were used, according to Ahmad Chapman, the agency’s communications director. LAist asked LAHSA about its reaction to last year’s 211 LA report, the concerns the report raised — such as long wait times and insufficient resources — and if any steps have been taken to implement their recommendations. “LAHSA works with 211-LA in its capacity as the region’s official information and referral line operator, as designated by L.A. County,” was the only written response to the questions. L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who is also chair of the LAHSA Commission, said in a statement to LAist she’s looking to ensure 211 is adequately staffed. “The wait times were too long and prevented all who called to seek shelter from receiving it,” she said in a statement.L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman, whose fourth district covers parts of Silver Lake, Hollywood Hills, and Van Nuys, said only a fraction of the people her office referred to the Augmented Winter Shelter Program were able to get a temporary room, and some after most of the rain had passed. We also heard from constituents and staff who, in trying to get people indoors, were met with hours-long hold times and no information on shelter availability. This is unacceptable – we’re lucky that there were no fatal incidents that we’re aware of involving unsheltered people.She asked what changes they’re making to prevent long wait times for future storms, and Latzer referred back to the 211 report.She told LAist the report not being shared with members of the city council in advance of their budget process is one of the many ways in which the “fragmented system leads to ongoing challenges.” Raman said there needs to be stronger lines of communication between LAHSA, 211, and the city, and they need clarity on how to evaluate the response to make sure mistakes aren’t repeated. “I think what we need, particularly in the budget cycle, is greater flexibility to authorize spending for extreme weather events like what we saw last week,” she said. Raman said climate change is altering how the city experiences weather, so having the flexibility to respond to intensive rain, extreme heat, and other emergencies is an essential consideration for the next budget.Pete White, the founder and co-executive director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network , told LAist they stopped referring people to 211 because it took “forever” to actually get an operator on the phone, and the information they provided wasn’t always reliable.“It's damn near cruel and unusual punishment for people who are looking for help and you know you can't provide the help, but you're having them stay on phone calls,” he said. But White said that in the absence of government help, regular people stepped up — warm blankets, tents, boots, tarps, and hot meal donations started pouring in. “That is still so limited in scope,” White added. “There were still thousands upon thousands of Angelenos that just suffered with nothing.”Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, his wife Yulia, opposition politician Lyubov Sobol and other demonstrators march in memory of murdered Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov in downtown Moscow on February 29, 2020.that political activist and staunch Vladimir Putin critic Alexei Navalny died at age 47 in a federal penitentiary above the Arctic Circle.“This was something that we were all thinking about as we were making the film," Roher said."It's something that Navalny, having survived previous assassination attempts, certainly was thinking about, yet in spite of that, there was something about the news this morning, in addition to just leaving me feeling gutted and angry, I was also so surprised. Why now? Why in this moment?”when asked what message he would leave behind to the Russian people if he were ever jailed or killed. "If they decide to kill me," Navalny continued in Russian,"it means that we are incredibly strong. We need to utilize this power to not give up, to remember we are a huge power that is being oppressed by these bad dudes. We don't realize how strong we actually are." He ended his message with a quote often attributed to 18th century Irish politician Edmund Burke:"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."Navalny has long been an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He almost died when members of the Kremlinhim in 2020 using nerve agent poison. He survived and recovered in Germany before returning to Russia, where he'd been jailed ever since., which won Best Documentary Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards — spoke with LAist about Navalny's lasting impact and his takeaways from the time they spent together during the filming of the documentary.“This was something that we were all thinking about as we were making the film," Roher said."It's something that Navalny, having survived previous assassination attempts, certainly was thinking about. Yet in spite of that, there was something about the news this morning. In addition to just leaving me feeling gutted and angry, I was also so surprised. Why now? Why in this moment?” Navalny appears on a screen set up at a courtroom of the Moscow City Court via a video link from his prison colony during a hearing of an appeal against his nine-year prison sentence he was handed after being found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court, in Moscow on May 17, 2022.“He wanted to usher in what he called the beautiful Russia of the future. A Russia that was democratic, a Russia that was free, that was free of corruption, which is a problem that plagues the country," Roher added."He wanted to reintroduce Russia to this global community in this 21st century. And of course, going up against an authoritarian strongman like Vladimir Putin is very tricky work and the personal danger that he took on as a result of his activism was immense.” “ was something that we were all thinking about as we were making the film. It's something that Navalny, having survived previous assassination attempts, certainly was thinking about."“Navalny was a guy who was charismatic and funny, and would want to just sit around have a beer and talk about politics or filmmaking or whatever he was interested in in that moment. And it really does feel for me that a light has gone out in this world, and I think that this loss will reverberate for decades and decades to come."“I know that if he were here right now, he would say, ‘Okay, everyone stop crying. We're going to raise a shot, take a shot of vodka and we're going to move on because the work continues. Take this anger, take this bitterness and disappointment and sadness and let's channel it into action. As long as this regime continues, we have work to do.’”Roher said that he has stayed in touch with Navalny and his family in the years since the documentary, and that Navalny's wife, Yulia, and daughter, Dasha, were"tearing up the dance floor" at his wedding, not long after his Oscar win.Daniel Roher accepts the Best Documentary Feature award for "Navalny" onstage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023.Roher said Navalny also wrote him a letter, which he views as very special because it's hard for him to get correspondence out into the world. “It’s now something that I will cherish forever," he said."In it he just had a lot of gratitude for what we were able to create together, in spite of the fact that he's never seen the movie. And now I believe the film will take on a new meaning.” What The Death Of Alexei Navalny, Putin’s Biggest Political Adversary, Means For The Campaign To Oppose His RegimeO.C. Supervisor Andrew Do with Viet America Society founder Peter Pham in a video posted by Do’s official YouTube account.O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do with Viet America Society founder Peter Pham in a video posted by Do’s official YouTube account.An Orange County nonprofit led by a supervisor’s 22-year-old daughter has failed to prove it provided millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded meals to residents in need during the pandemic, according to county records obtained by LAist.Letters sent by Orange County officials, and obtained through a public records request, focus on contracts totaling $4.2 million from late 2020 through May 2023. The letters demand that Viet America Society provide proof within 30 days that it provided the meals and records showing what happened with the money. O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do directed the money to the nonprofit as part of coronavirus relief measures in his district, and did not publicly disclose his family connection when awarding millions to the group.County officials warn the group that it could be forced to pay back the money if it doesn’t provide the evidence.charged taxpayers at least 60% more for meals for seniors than another vendorthe nonprofit has multiple violations for its meal contractsThe letter raises questions about whether the required number of meals, which cost taxpayers millions, were delivered to seniors. The county wrote that the nonprofit hasOrange County officials have found that a nonprofit led on and off by O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s 22-year-old daughter has failed to prove it provided millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded meals to residents in need during the pandemic., focusing on contracts totaling $4.2 million from late 2020 through May 2023. They were sent to Peter Pham, who founded Viet America Society, and issued by OC Community Resources — the county agency that oversaw the contracts.letters dated Tuesday , the county demanded that Viet America Society provide proof within 30 days that it provided the meals, and records showing what happened with the money. And officials warned that the group could be forced to pay back the money if it doesn’t provide the evidence it provided the service. “Documents provided do not demonstrate complete evidence of the number of meals delivered” and lack “evidence of the overall services delivered” under the contracts, The group has already had nearly a year to provide the records since the county first asked for them, according to the letters.Viet America Society was required by its contract with the county to provide documentation that the meals were delivered, but has not done so despite being asked by the county more than a year ago. The county reserves “the right to seek reimbursement for the payments” if the nonprofit doesn’t prove the required services were provided. The nonprofit’s policies do not follow county requirements for reporting fraud, something the county is asking them to change.LAist obtained the letters from the county after learning of them as part of the newsroom’s ongoing investigation into Do’s funding of the group with no disclosure publicly or to fellow supervisors, or to fellow supervisors, of his family ties.Records show Viet America Society charged 60% more for meals than other vendors In addition, LAist’s review of internal county documents obtained through a public records request show dramatic cost differences between what Viet America Society charged the county for meals compared to other vendors. As the pandemic raged in 2021, many seniors struggled to leave their homes to get food. Orange County officials knew help was needed and approved funding for meals to be delivered by local nonprofits. Meals on Wheels Orange County charged taxpayers just under $10 per meal for lunches and dinners in 2021, according to its invoices. Viet America Society, charged $16 per meal at that time, according to the internal documents.Other vendors, such as 2-1-1 Orange County and AgeWell Senior Services, also charged less per meal, according to an LAist review of county records. For much of the spending, Viet America Society did not submit monthly disclosures detailing how many meals it provided, despite that being required under its contract. In contrast, invoices reviewed by LAist show the county’s other meal vendors were disclosing the number of meals provided each month.In addition to the $4.2 million documented in the county letters as being under scrutiny, county records show Do directed another $5.2 million in meal funding to Viet America Society from December 2022 through August 2023. How many meals were provided with that additional funding is unclear. County officials, Do and the nonprofit’s leaders have not provided answers after multiple requests by LAist. Do’s chief of staff for external affairs, Van Tran, told LAist this week that he didn’t know how many meals were provided for the $5.2 million, all of which Do awarded while Tran has been working as his co-chief of staff.Tran, who is running for Do’s seat on the board of supervisors in the March 5 primary, said his own role is focused more on being a liaison with local cities in Do’s district, rather than how county money is spent. Andrew Do in a short video about the Vietnam War memorial, with Viet America Society founder Peter Pham and Van Tran , Do’s chief of staff of external affairs who is running for Do’s seat in this year’s election. Do is termed out and has endorsed Tran.Do’s other chief of staff, Chris Wangsaporn, didn’t return a phone call and text message asking how many meals were provided.One of the best things you can do to hold officials accountable is pay attention. Your city council, board of supervisors, school board and more all hold public meetings that anybody can attend. These are times you can talk to your elected officials directly and hear about the policies they’re voting on that affect your community. Viet America Society has been delinquent on its state nonprofit status since May 15, according to information the state Attorney General’s press office provided Thursday night in response to questions from LAist. That means the group cannot legally spend its charitable funds, according toThat included $3 million in county meal funding he provided Viet America Society in August, as well as $1 million in October to design and build a Vietnam War memorial at Mile Square Park. He also voted on May 23 to fund $2.5 million in subcontracts for Viet America Society to operate the county’s Vietnamese language mental health support hotline.We are here to investigate abuse of power, misconduct and negligence in government, business, and any venue where the public is affected.
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