$2.75 DESIGNATED AREAS HIGHER © 2021 D TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 latimes.

com

ANALYSIS

Believe Planet
it or not, on dire
a victory course,
for both U.N.
parties warns
Mitch McConnell and
other GOP senators U.S. urges immediate
see the upside in action after scientific
passing the president’s report outlines higher
infrastructure bill. risk of disasters, death
from the climate crisis.
By Eli Stokols and
Jennifer Haberkorn By Anna M. Phillips

WASHINGTON — Sen- WASHINGTON —

ate Minority Leader Mitch Hours after the United Na-
McConnell has said he is tions issued a dire climate
“100%” focused on stopping report Monday — saying a
President Biden’s agenda — rise in global temperatures
and yet he voted with every AFP/Getty Images ensured deadlier heat
Senate Democrat on Sun- RESCUE WORKERS free residents after flooding last month in Xinxiang, China. The United Nations issued waves, water shortages,
day to set the stage for a report Monday outlining how the climate crisis could increase floods and other disasters in the next 30 years. wildfires and floods over the
passing a bipartisan infra- next 30 years — the Biden
structure bill that would be a administration called on the
major political win for the world’s leaders gathering at
White House. the U.N. climate summit in

PG&E is again under scrutiny

He wasn’t alone. Sev- Scotland this November to
enteen other Republicans take immediate action.
opted to wrap up debate on “These extreme events
the legislation — in the face will only become more dras-
of multiple missives from tic in the future — this is why
former President Trump we cannot wait,” U.S. cli-
urging them to block it. mate envoy John F. Kerry
At a moment of such
intense partisanship, this
Utility’s equipment suspected in at least 3 fires in 2021 tweeted. “Now is the time for
action and Glasgow must be
momentary alignment of a turning point in this crisis.”
incentives for Democrats The scientific report,
and Republicans, set to vote By Alex Wigglesworth which was released by the
Tuesday to pass the approx- Intergovernmental Panel on
imately $1-trillion package After Pacific Gas & Elec- Climate Change, or IPCC,
out of the Senate, is the tric equipment sparked a found that even if nations
Washington equivalent of a massive fire that burned impose the strictest cuts to
total eclipse. much of Paradise, Calif., and atmosphere-warming
However rare and fleet- killed 86 people in 2018, the greenhouse gas emissions
ing that alignment, Republi- utility vowed a safety cam- today, global warming is
cans and Democrats believe paign aimed at preventing likely within the next two
they are serving their self-in- similar disasters. decades to surpass 1.5 de-
terests, not just the presi- PG&E said it would bury grees Celsius — the more
dent’s, in voting to pass a bi- some power lines snaking ambitious limit targeted in
partisan bill to improve through Northern California the 2015 Paris climate agree-
roads, bridges, rail lines, wa- forest land, significantly re- ment.
ter pipes and broadband ducing the risk of wildfires Using the strongest lan-
networks. caused when winds damage guage yet to describe hu-
“Every incumbent ben- equipment. Among the mans’ role in the crisis, the
efits from the sense that the power lines set to be buried report’s authors began their
Congress can figure out how was a 10-mile stretch that summary with the line: “It is
to get important things may have started this year’s unequivocal that human in-
done,” said Sen. Roy Blunt destructive Dixie fire, now fluence has warmed the at-
(R-Mo.). the second largest in Califor- mosphere, ocean and land.”
Lawmakers don’t expect nia history. As recently as 2013, when the
the conviviality to last long. The situation under- last report was published,
[See Infrastructure, A7] scores the rising scrutiny the IPCC had said it was “ex-
PG&E is facing this summer tremely likely” that emis-
as a string of huge fires sions from energy and in-
Democrats pitch across Northern California Noah Berger Associated Press dustry were to blame.
have raged amid hot, dry A STRETCH of power line that may have sparked the Dixie fire was set to be “This report tells us that
$3.5-trillion plan [See PG&E, A12] buried by PG&E, though the work hasn’t been completed, the company said. recent changes in the cli-
Senate to consider more mate are widespread, rapid
funding for social and and intensifying, unprece-
climate work. NATION, A7 DIXIE FIRE: The blaze has grown to nearly half a million acres and is at only 21% containment. CALIFORNIA, B1 dented in thousands of
years,” said IPCC Vice Chair
Ko Barrett, senior climate
advisor for the U.S. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric

Newsom’s focus on Administration.

changes we experience will
“The

increase with further warm-

top half of ballot is ing.”

The world has already
warmed about 1.1 degrees

risky for Democrats Celsius, or roughly 2 degrees

Fahrenheit, since the 19th
century. And the conse-
quences are evident.
preference is to retain New- Though it may not seem
By John Myers som as governor. like much, each half a degree
and Seema Mehta “I think it’s unfortunate of warming is hugely conse-
that the Democratic Party is quential.
SACRAMENTO — For not giving voters any guid- A previous U.N. climate
Gov. Gavin Newsom, the ance on what to do on the report that examined the ef-
only thing that matters in second question,” said Kim fects of surpassing 1.5 de-
the recall election he faces is Alexander, president of the grees of warming found that
how California voters fill out nonpartisan California Vot- an additional half a degree
the part of the ballot that er Foundation. “It’s going to would expose tens of mil-
can keep him in office. leave a lot of people con- lions more people to ex-
Whether they understand fused.” treme heat, cause coral reefs
that they also have the right And should a majority of to “mostly disappear” and
to select a potential replace- voters cast ballots to expel result in greater habitat loss
Abdullah Sahil Associated Press ment isn’t part of his equa- Newsom, it could produce a for animals that depend on
TALIBAN FIGHTERS have taken control of the strategic Afghan city of Kunduz. tion. new governor chosen by only Arctic summer sea ice.
But the singular focus of a small fraction of the elec- In California, the second-
Newsom and prominent torate. largest wildfire in the state’s

Taliban’s lightning victories Democrats could be a high-

stakes gamble with the par-
ty’s political and policy
agenda. It might also leave
“I know a lot of very smart
people and people who are
very engaged in political ac-
tion who still don’t seem to
[See Climate, A9]

Time running out

millions of voters who soon understand there are two
to cut emissions
Afghan losses escalate the pressure on U.S. will receive a ballot in the
mail unaware they can cast a
questions on this recall bal-
lot,” said Marcia Hanscom, a Companies’ long-term
vote on both of the recall bal- longtime environmental ac- net-zero pledges may be
comfortable questions for lamic group had taken Ay- lot’s questions — even if their [See Recall, A12] far too little. BUSINESS, A9
By Nabih Bulos Washington as the Biden ad- bak, the capital of the north-
ministration forges ahead ern province of Samangan,
AMMAN, Jordan — With with its rapid withdrawal of as fighters pressed ahead
a sixth provincial capital in troops from the war-torn with a countrywide offensive Pentagon will Costco shooting Weather
Mostly sunny.
its hands Monday and at- country. that has seen a crushing require vaccines charges filed L.A. Basin: 86/66. B6
tacks pounding a seventh, Monday saw the Taliban rout of Afghan government The military gives State attorney general
the Taliban has stunned ob- set its sights on Gardez, the forces in many places. members until Sept. 15 goes after former L.A.
servers with its lightning capital of Paktia province in As part of the 2020 peace or possibly sooner to get police officer who killed
takeover of large swaths of Afghanistan’s east. Officials deal between the Taliban their shots, a memo a mentally disabled
Afghanistan in recent days. also confirmed to local news and the Trump admin- shows. NATION, A6 man. CALIFORNIA, B1
Its advance has raised un- outlets that the radical Is- [See Afghanistan, A4]

BUSINESS INSIDE: Employers are too timid on vaccine rules, Michael Hiltzik writes. A8
A2 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M

PERSPECTIVES

Will students turn to fake vaccine cards?

Online sites selling counterfeit verification worry officials tasked with enforcing mandates
dents or business patrons,”
By Roselyn Romero Williams said.
The AP spoke with stu-
SAN LUIS OBISPO — As dents across the country
the Delta variant of the co- who did not want to be iden-
ronavirus sweeps across the tified but said they were
United States, a growing aware of attempts to obtain
number of colleges and fake cards.
universities are requiring Some school officials ac-
proof of COVID-19 vaccina- knowledge it’s impossible to
tion for students to attend have a foolproof system.
in-person classes. But the “As with anything that
mandate has opened the potentially requires a certifi-
door for those opposed to cation, there is the possibil-
getting the vaccine to cheat ity for an individual to falsify
the system, according to in- documentation,” said
terviews with students and Michael Uhlenkamp, a
education and law enforce- spokesman for the chancel-
ment officials. lor’s office at California
Across the internet, a cot- State University. The school
tage industry has sprung up system, the largest in the na-
to accommodate people who tion, oversees about 486,000
say they won’t be vaccinated students on 23 campuses.
for either personal or reli- In March, the concern
gious reasons. over fake COVID-19 vaccina-
An Instagram account tion cards prompted the FBI
with the username “vaccina- to issue a joint statement
tioncards” sells laminated with the U.S. Department of
COVID-19 vaccination cards Health and Human Services
for $25 each. urging people not to buy,
A user on the encrypted create or sell fabricated vac-
messaging app Telegram of- cine cards.
fers “COVID-19 Vaccine In April, a bipartisan co-
Cards Certificates” for as alition of 47 state attorneys
much as $200 apiece. “This is general sent a letter to the
our own way of saving as chief executives of Twitter,
many people as we possibly Shopify and eBay to take
can from the poisonous vac- down ads or links selling the
cine,” reads the seller’s mes- Mary Altaffer Associated Press bogus cards.
sage, viewed by at least 11,000 AS HUNDREDS OF colleges and universities put in place vaccination mandates for the fall term, questions Many of the sites have
app users. have arisen about the security of paper vaccine cards. Multiple sources online advertise counterfeit cards. blacklisted keywords re-
An increasing number of lated to fake cards, but
inquiries to these sites and portal. of North Carolina at Chapel may result in disciplinary ac- places to buy the documents
similar ones appear to be In Nashville, Vanderbilt Hill, questions how institu- tion. The school said it had are still popping up on mes-
from those who are trying to
‘The United States, University places a hold on a tions can verify those re- not found any instances of a saging apps, chat forums
get fake vaccination cards unlike most student’s course regis- cords. student uploading a fake and the dark web.
for college. tration until a vaccine “The United States, un- vaccine card. Sellers on websites such
A Reddit user com- countries which record has been verified un- like most countries which But other university staff as Counterfeit Center,
mented on a thread about less he or she has an ap- have electronic systems in and faculty have expressed Jimmy Black Market and
falsifying COVID-19 vaccina- have electronic proved medical accommo- place, is basing its vaccina- concern. Rebecca Williams, Buy Express Documents list
tion cards, saying, in part, “I dation or religious exemp- tion on a flimsy paper card,” a research associate at COVID-19 vaccine cards,
need one, too, for college. I
systems in place, tion. he said. UNC’s Lineberger Compre- certificates and passports
refuse to be a guinea pig.”
On Twitter, one user with
is basing its The University of Michi-
gan says it has checks in
“There needs to be poli-
cies in place for accountabil-
hensive Cancer Center and
Center for Health Promo-
for sale, some costing 400 eu-
ros or about $473.49 U.S.
more than 70,000 followers vaccination on a place to confirm employee ity to make sure that every tion and Disease Preven- An advertisement on the
tweeted, “My daughter and student vaccinations. A student is operating in the tion, said that although she website Buy Real Fake Pass-
bought 2 fake ID’s online for flimsy paper card.’ spokesman for the college collective interest of the en- is concerned by these port indicates that vendors
$50 while in college. Shipped told the Associated Press tire campus.” claims, she isn’t surprised. can produce fake vaccina-
from China. Anyone have — Benjamin the school has not encoun- In a statement to AP, “This is why I think the tion cards by the thousands,
the link for vaccine cards?” Mason Meier, tered any problems so far UNC said that the institu- development of a reliable na- if not tens of thousands,
According to a tally by University of North Carolina with students forging tion conducts periodic veri- tional digital vaccine pass- based on demand.
the Chronicle of Higher Edu- COVID-19 vaccination fication of documents and port app is very important “It is hiding under our
cation, at least 664 colleges firm vaccination at many record cards. that lying about vaccination for the sake of all the organi- noses. If you want it, you can
and universities now require schools can be as simple as But Benjamin Mason status or falsifying docu- zations and businesses that find it out,” said Saoud Khal-
proof of COVID-19 inocula- uploading a picture of the Meier, a global health policy ments is a violation of the want to require proof of vac- ifah, founder and chief exe-
tions. The process to con- vaccine card to the student’s professor at the University university’s standards and cination for employees, stu- cutive of scam-detecting
software Fakespot. “If we are
seeing signs where things
like Lollapalooza and other
festivals are getting fake

Spotlight shines on Cuomo’s lieutenant cards to gain entrance, the

trend is just going to contin-
ue into these universities.”
In July, the U.S. Depart-
ment of Justice announced
SAFE Act, one of the na- its first federal criminal
If the governor is tion’s toughest gun control fraud prosecution involving
laws, as well as the state’s a fake COVID-19 immuniza-
ousted, Kathy Hochul Green Light Law, which let tion and vaccination card
could become first immigrants here illegally get scheme. Juli A. Mazi, 41, a na-
driver’s licenses. turopathic physician in
woman to hold that Hochul has not publicly Napa, Calif., was arrested
office in New York. expressed whether she and charged with wire fraud
would pursue a full term in and false statements related
2022 if she were to step into to healthcare matters.
By Carolyn Thompson the role. Court documents allege
An upstate candidate she sold fake vaccination
BUFFALO, N.Y. — As running for any statewide of- cards to customers that ap-
New York’s lieutenant gover- fice in New York faces a peared to show that they
nor, Kathy Hochul has spent daunting challenge, but had received Moderna vac-
years on the road as the even more so for the gover- cines. In some cases, the
friendly face of the adminis- nor’s office, which has his- documents show Mazi her-
tration, visiting the far-flung torically drawn from New self filled out the cards, writ-
coffee shops and factory York City. ing her own name and pur-
floors of each of the state’s 62 Neiheisel said given her ported Moderna “lot num-
counties for countless rib- record, it is difficult to pre- bers” for a vaccine she had
bon-cutting ceremonies and dict what a “distinctly not in fact administered.
civic cheerleading events. Hochul agenda” might look For other customers, she
Now, with Gov. Andrew like, especially when faced provided blank CDC
Cuomo facing possible with the state’s still-active COVID-19 vaccination rec-
impeachment over sexual pandemic response and a re- ord cards and told each cus-
harassment allegations, her covery that will involve bil- tomer to write that she had
next stop may be the state lions of dollars in federal aid. administered a Moderna
Capitol in Albany. “Given how little she’s vaccine with a specified lot
Hochul would become historically been in the news number.
the state’s first female gover- cycle, I really don’t think she Requiring vaccinations
nor if Cuomo were removed has the kind of name recog- to attend class at colleges
from office. nition that you would expect and universities has become
A centrist Democrat Seth Wenig Associated Press of somebody who is sud- a contentious political issue
from western New York, she NEW YORK Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul has spent years on the road as the friendly denly being thrust into a po- in some states. Public col-
has worked deep in Cuomo’s face of the Cuomo administration. She has joined those denouncing the governor. sition of maybe being gover- leges in at least 13 states in-
shadow for her two terms in nor,” Neiheisel said. “She’s cluding Ohio, Utah, Tennes-
office, but this week joined downtown Cazenovia with cial election to fill a vacancy censes. Hochul and another going to have to do an awful see and Florida cannot re-
the chorus of politicians de- the small town’s mayor. in the U.S. House. western New York clerk ex- lot, really fast, in order for quire COVID-19 vaccina-
nouncing the governor after That has been nothing “Pragmatic would be a plored a plan to have police there to be a serious conver- tions due to state legislation,
an independent investiga- like the attention-demand- good way to describe her,” arrest immigrants who tried sation for keeping that job.” but private institutions in
tion concluded he had sexu- ing appearances of the de- said Jacob Neiheisel, an as- to apply. At a news briefing those same states can.
ally harassed 11 women while terminedly high-profile Cuo- sociate political science pro- “It will be a deterrent, Wednesday, New York City Some college students
in office. mo, who does most of his fessor at the University at and that’s what I’m looking Mayor Bill de Blasio, who have taken to social media
“I believe these brave business in Albany and New Buffalo. “Someone who is for,” Hochul told the Buffalo has a famously contentious platforms like Twitter and
women,” Hochul wrote, call- York City and whose daily pretty good at reading the News at the time. relationship with Cuomo, TikTok to voice their out-
ing Cuomo’s behavior “re- coronavirus briefings were tea leaves and coming Her next move was to said he’s gotten to know rage over other students
pulsive and unlawful” in a national events at the height around to where her constit- Congress, where in 2011 she Hochul over the last few possessing fraudulent vac-
statement. of the pandemic. uency is.” had a surprising win in a spe- years and “she strikes me as cine cards.
She also acknowledged Hochul has not been part Hochul’s office declined cial election in a district that a very reasonable person.” Maliha Reza, an electri-
what has been simmering of Cuomo’s inner circle of an interview request. had been in Republican “I believe if Kathy Hochul cal engineering student at
for months: the possibility aides and allies. Her name A steelworker’s daughter, hands for decades. She lost a becomes governor, she’ll be Pennsylvania State Uni-
she will become governor. wasn’t mentioned in the in- Hochul, a lawyer, worked in bid for reelection a year later an honest broker,” he said. versity, said it is mind-bog-
“Because lieutenant gov- vestigative report, released Washington as an aide to for- to Republican Chris Collins, In Buffalo, Erie County gling that students would
ernors stand next in the line by Atty. Gen. Letitia James, mer U.S. Rep. John LaFalce despite an endorsement by Executive Mark Poloncarz pay for fake vaccination
of succession, it would not be that detailed not only the and later, Sen. Daniel Pat- the National Rifle Assn. worked alongside Hochul cards when they could get
appropriate to comment harassment allegations rick Moynihan, both from Collins later resigned from when he was county comp- the COVID-19 vaccine at no
further on the process at this against Cuomo but also ef- New York, before holding her the U.S. House and pleaded troller and she was Erie cost.
moment,” she wrote. forts by his staff to discredit first public office, on the guilty to insider trading. County clerk. He said he saw “I’m angry about that.
To many New Yorkers, some of his accusers. town board in Hamburg, Hochul moved to the left, Hochul easily stepping into Like, there is more anger
Hochul is an unknown quan- But at 62, Hochul is an ex- near Buffalo. politically, when Cuomo the governor’s office. than I could describe right
tity, serving since 2015 in a perienced politician, a veter- From there, she became tapped her as his running “I think it’s fair to say that now,” Reza said. “It’s dumb
job that is mostly ceremo- an of 11 campaigns that have Erie County clerk, where she mate in 2014 after his first if that did happen, we cer- considering the vaccine is
nial. A typical afternoon in taken her from town board made some news in 2007 for lieutenant governor, former tainly would have a friend in free, and it is accessible
late July had her announc- to Congress, the latter repre- resistance to a plan by then- Rochester Mayor Robert Albany,” he said. across the country.”
ing job training funding in senting a conservative west- Gov. Eliot Spitzer to allow Duffy, decided to not run for
Utica, discussing manufac- ern New York district after a immigrants in the country il- reelection. Thompson writes for the Romero writes for the
turing in Rome and touring surprising 2011 win in a spe- legally to get driver’s li- She backed New York’s Associated Press. Associated Press.
L AT I M E S . C O M T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 A3

THE WORLD

France now requiring COVID health pass

to people who are vacci-
Document is needed nated against COVID-19, or
have proof of a recent recov-
to enter restaurants ery from the disease or who
and events and for have a recent negative test.
The measure also applies to
travel. Measure aims tourists visiting the country.
to boost vaccination. In hospitals, visitors and
patients who have appoint-
ments are required to have
associated press
the pass. Exceptions are
made for people needing ur-
PARIS — France took a gent care at the emergency
big step Monday into a post- ward.
pandemic future by requir- The pass is now required
ing people to show a QR on high-speed, intercity and
code proving they have a night trains, which carry
special health pass before over 400,000 passengers per
they can enjoy restaurants day in France, Transport
and cafes or travel across the Ministry chief Jean-Baptiste
country. Djebbari said Monday. It is
The measure is part of a also required for long-dis-
government plan to encour- tance travels by plane or
age more people to get a bus.
COVID-19 vaccination and “We’re going to enforce
slow down a surge in infec- massive controls,” Djebbari
tions, as the highly conta- said.
gious Delta variant now ac- Paper or digital docu-
counts for most cases in ments are accepted.
France. More than 36 million Meanwhile, the Paris St.-
people in France, or more Germain soccer club will be
than 54% of the population, Adrienne Surprenant Associated Press allowed a capacity crowd for
are fully vaccinated. A SECURITY OFFICER checks passengers’ health passes at the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris. The its first home game of the
The special pass is issued special pass is issued to people who are vaccinated, or have proof of a recent recovery from COVID-19. season against Strasbourg
in the French league Sat-
urday.
PSG said the Paris pre-
fecture has approved 49,700

Canada to allow in vaccinated U.S. citizens fans at Parc des Princes sta-
dium, with spectators ex-
pected to show their virus
passes.
won’t say how many people “I imagine once that bor- against COVID-19. waterfront could fill some Polls show that most
associated press
are expected to enter the der opens, we are going to Canadians aren’t waiting tables with U.S. visitors French support the health
country for the reopening. see lots of people,” said for reciprocal rules. every day for the rest of the pass. But the measure has
Canada on Monday But travelers should plan for Chelsea Sweeney, the com- Joel Villanueva, owner of summer, it would be a big prompted strong opposition
partially lifted its ban on the possibility of additional pany’s director of business Primo’s Mexican Grill in financial boost, he said. from some people who say it
Americans crossing the bor- processing time at the development. White Rock, British Colum- Near the border in Wash- compromises their free-
der to shop, vacation or visit, border. The U.S.-Canada border bia, about 2.5 miles north of ington state, Blaine Cham- doms by limiting move-
but the United States is “CBSA will not compro- has been closed to nones- the border, is more than ber of Commerce board ments and daily activities
keeping similar COVID-19 mise the health and safety of sential travel since March ready for Americans to member Carroll Solomon outside the home.
travel restrictions in place Canadians for the sake of 2020 to try to slow the spread return. called the reopening a step On Saturday, thousands
for Canadians. border wait times,” agency of the coronavirus. “Let’s get this thing go- in the right direction for of demonstrators marched
U.S. citizens and perma- spokeswoman Rebecca The U.S. has said it will ing,” he said. “A lot of our businesses. in Paris and other French
nent residents must be both Purdy said in a statement. extend its ban on Canadians customers are from the But she also said it was cities for a fourth consecu-
fully vaccinated and test Garnet Health, an Essex, making nonessential trips United States, and we are lit- somewhat concerning be- tive week of protests against
negative for COVID-19 in the Vt., company that offers until at least Aug. 21, which erally minutes from across cause of an increase in the measure.
three days before crossing same-day COVID-19 testing, also applies to the Mexican the border. We welcome our COVID-19 cases nationwide The pass has already
one of the world’s longest has seen the number of tests border. Americans, and we depend as the highly contagious been in place since last
and busiest land borders. it performs more than triple But the Biden adminis- on their foot traffic.” Delta variant spreads. month at cultural and recre-
Travelers also must fill out a in recent weeks. tration is beginning to Villanueva said he sup- “For people who need to ational venues, including
detailed application on The increase coincides make plans for a phased ports people coming who are get up there [to Canada] cinemas, concert halls,
the arriveCAN app before with Canada’s decision last reopening. fully vaccinated and doesn’t for family reasons, it’s won- sports arenas and theme
crossing. month to drop a two-week The main requirement think there will be a rush of derful,” said Solomon, parks.
Even though travelers quarantine requirement for would be that nearly all for- Americans initially. who also volunteers at the The law also requires
have to register, the Canada its citizens when they return eign visitors to the U.S. will But if his restaurant and Blaine Visitor Information French healthcare workers
Border Services Agency home from the U.S. have to be vaccinated dozens of others along the Center. to be vaccinated by Sept. 15.
A4 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 S L AT I M E S . C O M

White House stands firm on Afghanistan

[Afghanistan, from A1] some of the largest cities, in-
istration, the insurgents, cluding Kandahar and
who control much of the Herat, where Taliban fight-
Afghan countryside, had ers briefly disrupted air trav-
pledged to avoid attacking el at those cities’ airports.
the country’s 34 provincial Taliban spokesman
capitals. With U.S. and Zabihullah Mujahid said in a
North Atlantic Treaty Or- tweet Monday that the
ganization assistance, the group was now attacking
capitals have remained bas- Mazar-i-Sharif and had tak-
tions of government control. en the main defensive base
But the last week has in Gardez.
seen no fewer than five pro- “Fighting is currently
vincial centers fall to the Tal- raging on the city’s out-
iban, some without a fight. skirts,” he tweeted.
On Friday, the group seized Although the Taliban has
the southwestern city of yet to mount a military of-
Zaranj, the capital of Nim- fensive against Kabul, the
ruz province, forcing Afghan capital has already seen in-
government fighters to flee creasingly brazen attacks
across the border to Iran. that seem designed to dem-
The following day, the Tali- onstrate the government’s
ban captured Sheberghan, inability to counter the in-
the capital of Jowzjan prov- surgents.
ince and home to Abdul Ra- On Aug. 3, a team of in-
shid Dostum, an Afghan surgents stormed the home
warlord whose fighters of acting Defense Minister
proved no match for the at- Bismillah Khan Moham-
tackers. madi in an attack that killed
By Sunday, the insur- eight people. On Friday,
gents had blitzed through gunmen killed Dawa Khan
wide swaths of the country’s Menapal, who headed the
north — which in the 1990s Afghan government’s media
mounted the strongest re- and information center. On
sistance to the Taliban — Saturday, assassins atta-
and taken three more pro- Wakil Kohsar AFP/Getty Images ched a bomb to the car of an
vincial capitals: Sar-e-Pul, AFGHAN families who fled fighting in Kunduz and Takhar provinces in the north gather for food in Kabul. Afghan Black Hawk pilot,
Taloqan and Kunduz, a killing him and wounding his
long-sought-after prize that by the Taliban to seize urban warn that the country could The Taliban’s advance order to comment freely. children.
the group had briefly seized centers with the force of become a terrorist haven has also underscored the He predicted that the Attempts to forge a nego-
in 2015 and 2016. arms. The human toll of this once again. vulnerability of the Afghan wave of provincial capitals tiated peace in the mean-
Its stunning string of strategy is extremely dis- But Washington appears security forces, who have falling to the Taliban would time have all but foundered
battlefield successes has tressing — and the political determined to not change faced a grueling trial by fire continue until mid-Septem- despite continued talks be-
given the Taliban control of message is even more deeply the withdrawal timetable. since insurgents stepped up ber. tween Afghan officials and
the north, the southwest disturbing,” she said. “President Biden has their offensive in May as “I don’t think we can hold Taliban leaders in the Qatari
and parts of the east, setting The swift advance has es- made that clear. We’re going American troops began Kandahar,” he said, adding capital, Doha. On Monday,
up the group to make an calated pressure on the Bid- out and ... are staying out,” their withdrawal. that Kabul, the seat of the Abdullah Abdullah, Kabul’s
eventual bid for the biggest en administration, which Ryan Crocker, who served Afghan troops have long government’s power and the top negotiator, traveled to
prize of all: the national capi- has pledged to maintain its briefly as U.S. ambassador relied on air power for a cru- city with the best defenses, Doha for three days of meet-
tal, Kabul. It also marks a support of the Afghan gov- to Afghanistan under Presi- cial advantage over their was likely to come under at- ings with representatives of
“new, deadlier and more de- ernment even as U.S. forces dent Obama, said in an in- Taliban adversaries and to tack by the Taliban some- various countries and the
structive phase” of the prepare to quit the country terview Sunday with ABC’s resupply far-flung outposts time next month. U.N. aimed at stopping at-
Afghan war, Deborah Lyons, completely by Aug. 31, end- “This Week.” across the country. Although the govern- tacks on Afghan cities and
the United Nations’ special ing 20 years of direct com- “We knew from the begin- With American support ment insists the Taliban’s accelerating the peace proc-
representative for Af- bat. ning — and the president dwindling, and the Afghan victories are more on social ess. Taliban co-founder and
ghanistan, told the U.N. Se- Afghan President Ashraf would be the first to say this air force unable to maintain media than on the battle- political chief Mullah Abdul
curity Council in a briefing Ghani has blamed the pull- — that there are difficult the operational tempo, field, the group now holds Ghani Baradar is also set to
Friday. out for the worsening vi- choices a commander in Afghan soldiers have been more than a third — some attend.
“This is a clear attempt olence, and some observers chief needs to make on be- forced to retrench their estimates say more than half But the momentum at
half of the American peo- defense posture, ceding — of Afghanistan’s districts. present belongs to armed
ple,” White House Press Sec- territory with little or no It also controls most of the combat, Lyons told the U.N.
retary Jen Psaki said Friday, fighting while they focus on landlocked nation’s border “There is a striking con-
adding: “The Afghan gov- strategic areas such as He- crossings and has solidified trast between the activity on
FOR THE RECORD ernment and the Afghan na- rat in the west and Lashkar its grip over much of the the battlefield and the quiet
tional defense forces have Gah and Kandahar in the country’s highways, leaving stalemate at the negotiation
TV This Week: In the Aug. 8 film “Field of Dreams.” The the training, equipment and south. the islands of government- table in Doha,” she said,
Calendar section, a TV This game will be played in a new, numbers to prevail, and now Yet that retrenchment held territory all but be- “where we should be seeing
Week item about Thursday’s temporary stadium con- is the moment for the leader- may not be enough, said one sieged. the opposite: quiet on the
“Field of Dreams Game” structed near the site where ship and the will in the face of high-ranking Afghan de- That sense of govern- battlefield and engagement
said it will be played on a the film was shot. the Taliban’s aggression and fense official who spoke on ment isolation has only in- around the negotiating ta-
field constructed for the 1989 violence.” condition of anonymity in creased in recent days in ble.”

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LEGAL NOTICE forts and equipment were saved in such an unprece- killed more than 100 people, One Greek volunteer fire-
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE OF COLLATERAL BY ORDER OF SECURED PARTY woefully inadequate. dented natural disaster.” have emphasized saving fighter died near Athens last
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on August 16, 2021, at the hour of 11:00 a.m. CDT at Big Shoulders “These last few days have Other big wildfires were lives, issuing dozens of evac- week while four more were in
Capital VI, LLC, 105 Revere Dr. Suite D, Northbrook, IL 60062, the Big Shoulders Capital VI, been among the hardest still burning Monday in uation orders. The coast the hospital Monday, two in
LLC, the Secured Party of Elite Aerospace Group, Inc.’s (“EAG”), Elite Aviation Products, Inc.’s
(“EAP”), Elite Metal Manufacturing, Inc.’s (“EMM”), Elite Engineering Services Inc.’s (“EES”), Elite for our country in decades,” Greece’s Peloponnese re- guard said 2,770 people had critical condition with ex-
Financial Services, Inc.’s (“EFS”), Elite Aviation Services, Inc.’s (“EAS”), and Elite Space Services, Mitsotakis said. “We are gion. Over the last week, been evacuated by sea tensive burns.
Inc.’s (“ESS”, collectively with EAG, EAP, EMM, EES, EFS and EAS, the “Debtors”), will hold a public dealing with a natural disas- hundreds of homes and across the country between Wildfires were also burn-
auction to offer for sale all goods and equipment for use in the Debtors’ business located in Tustin,
California, including but not limited to: machinery, tools, trade fixtures, furniture, furnishings and ter of unprecedented dimen- businesses have been de- July 31 and Sunday. ing in southern Italy, North
office equipment and all other goods. For a more detailed list, please request from counsel below. sions.” stroyed or damaged, and Some residents ignored Macedonia and Monte-
In order to be eligible to bid at the auction, a bidder must (i) demonstrate to the Secured Party
that the bidder is legally empowered to bid, (ii) has the ability to consummate the transaction With roads on the island nearly 100,000 acres have the orders and tried to save negro, where a large fire in
at closing, (iii) deliver to the Secured Party on or before August 13, 2021 a deposit of 25% of its cut off by the flames, resi- been burned. Power cuts on their villages, spraying the capital was coming close
bid, in the form of a certified or cashier’s check, and (iv) agree to keep its offer open for a period dents and tourists fled to Monday affected at least homes with garden hoses to houses on Monday.
of three (3) business days following the auction if they are declared to be a next highest bidder,
during which time, the Secured Party shall continue to hold the bid deposit. Evia’s beaches and jetties to 17,000 households. and digging mini firebreaks. In Italy, authorities urged
The successful bidder must pay the balance of the bid price within one business day following be ferried to safety by a flo- The causes of the blazes “The villagers them- people to be careful amid a
the conclusion of the auction with a certified or cashier’s check or wire transfer. If the Secured
Party accepts a bid, such successful bidder will receive a secured party bill of sale. If any
tilla of boats. are as yet undetermined, selves, with the firefighters, heat wave forecast for this
successful bidder fails to close, such bidder shall forfeit its bid deposit, and the assets may, if “We were completely for- though several people have are doing what they can to week, when many Italians
the Secured Party chooses, be sold to the next highest bidder, if any. saken. There were no fire been arrested on suspicion save their own and neighbor- take vacations. Firefighters
The auction may be continued without further notice or publication. The Secured Party, in
the exercise of its sole discretion, before or during the sale, reserves the right to modify the brigades, there were no vehi- of arson. Greece’s top prose- ing villages,” said Yiannis have been battling blazes in
foregoing terms, and to impose additional terms and conditions of sale. Such additional and cles, nothing!” David An- cutor has ordered an investi- Katsikoyiannis, a volunteer Sardinia, Sicily and Cal-
modified terms may be announced at the sale. gelou, who had been in the gation into whether the high from Crete who came to Evia abria. Two have died.
The asset to be sold in this sale is being sold on an “AS IS, WHERE IS” basis with the Secured
Party specifically disclaiming all representations and warranties, including, but not limited to seaside village of Pefki, said number of fires could be to help his father save his In North Macedonia,
those that relate to value, fitness for a particular purpose, the quantities, merchantability, title, Sunday night after leaving linked to criminal activity. horse farm near Avgaria. dozens of wildfires followed
possession, quite enjoyment or the like.
Prospective bidders may contact HMB Legal Counsel at (312) 606-3234 or ndelman@ by ferry for the mainland. More than 20 countries in “If they had evacuated the worst heat wave in dec-
hmblaw.com to obtain additional information with respect to the sale and to arrange for an “You could feel the enor- Europe and the Mideast their villages, as the civil pro- ades. At least eight were still
inspection of the assets to be sold. mous heat, there was also a have responded to Greece’s tection told them to, every- burning Monday.
Attorneys for the Secured Party: Eric S. Rein/Nathan E. Delman, HMB Legal Counsel, 500 West
Madison Street, Suite 3700, Chicago, Illinois 60661, (312) 606-3200
A6 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M

THE NATION

One nation, divisible — over vaccines

Swaths of the conservative South and Midwest maintain their resistance in politicized split
grown children, a man in his
By Jenny Jarvie, mid-20s, had gone to Gad-
Richard Read and da’s home in a solidly Demo-
Molly Hennessy-Fiske cratic neighborhood to play
fiddle. Later, Gadda, a 73-
HEFLIN, Ala. — Peyton year-old Democrat, asked
Thetford straddles two the man whether he’d been
Americas. vaccinated.
Inside the intensive care No, his neighbor said. No
unit at the University of Ala- one in the family had been
bama at Birmingham Hos- vaccinated — and all five
pital, the 27-year-old nurse were sick with COVID-19. He
has witnessed a dramatic said he wasn’t concerned be-
uptick in COVID-19 patients cause no one was very ill.
struggling to breathe. But “Well, you’re no longer
after grueling 12-hour shifts welcome here. Don’t even
— moving patients from come up my driveway,”
their backs to their stom- Gadda said he told the man.
achs and then turning them “I don’t care about you. I
onto their sides every two care about all the people
hours to keep their oxygen you’re going to infect.”
levels up — he leaves the hos- Even families that are po-
pital and sees hardly anyone litically aligned struggle to
wearing masks or practicing see eye to eye.
social distancing. In Sugar Land, Texas,
“It’s kind of like the movie Tricia Doyle, 61, a real-estate
‘Groundhog Day,’ where you administrator, received a
wake up and everything’s vaccine but worried that her
the exact same, and you two sons in Denver had not
can’t do anything to change gotten inoculated “because
it,” he said. “You’re just com- of all the misinformation.”
ing to work and watching Doyle and her sons are
people die.” Republicans who voted for
As the U.S. reached the Trump, she said, but neither
milestone last week of get- of her sons believe in con-
ting at least one dose of a spiracy theories. They’re
vaccine into the arms of 70% Elijah Nouvelage AFP/Getty Images not opposed to vaccinations
of adults, few people were VOLUNTEERS go door to door June 30 in Birmingham, Ala., to inform residents about a COVID-19 vaccina- in general. Doyle caught
celebrating. The highly con- tion event. With only 40% of residents older than 12 fully vaccinated, the state lags behind all others. COVID-19 in January, and
tagious Delta variant of the her whole family knows it’s
coronavirus was surging his family, most of his friends real. But they distrust the
across the U.S., and there and 80% to 90% of the con- federal government.
was growing exasperation gregants of his church are “We definitely need to
that the project to stem the vaccinated. come together as a nation
spread of the virus had But surveys from the Kai- and get the facts out there,”
stalled as it met resistance ser Family Foundation indi- she said. “People are just
to vaccinations in large sec- cate that the partisan gap on questioning everything.”
tions of the conservative vaccinations is widening. In Some public health ex-
South and Midwest. April, the average vaccina- perts say America is not
The split between those tion rate in counties that entrenched in two camps —
who have received their voted for Trump was 20.6%, vaxxers and anti-vaxxers —
COVID-19 shots and those compared with 22.8% in and there is a difference
who refuse follows familiar Biden counties. By July 6, between hesitance and op-
geographical and political that gap had increased to 11.7 position.
fault lines. percentage points. “Those who are skeptical
Democratic-leaning Not all Republicans are about the COVID-19 vaccine
states in the Northeast, such on the same page. Some are not a monolith,” said
as Vermont and Massachu- GOP lawmakers and offi- Henna Budhwani, assistant
setts, lead the way in vacci- cials have derided public professor of public health at
nations, while staunchly Re- health officials such as Dr. the University of Alabama at
publican states that voted Anthony Fauci, the nation’s Birmingham, who has stud-
for former President Trump top infectious-diseases ex- ied vaccine hesitancy among
in 2020, including Alabama pert, and promoted misin- Black Americans in the
and Mississippi, have the formation, falsely accusing South.
lowest vaccination rates and the Biden administration of In Alabama, she noted,
the steepest increase in trying to inoculate Ameri- the percentage of white and
cases and hospitalizations. cans against their will, even Black residents getting their
Ever since the health cri- Rogelio V. Solis Associated Press as many establishment Re- first shots is about the same
sis began, the coronavirus, DAMON WILLIAMSON , 16, gets a shot Aug. 3 in Jackson, Miss. Democratic- publican figures have pro- — 32.5% of white residents
in all its forms and variants, leaning Northeastern states, led by Vermont, have the highest vaccination rates. moted vaccines. and 33% of Black residents.
has magnified the nation’s Sen. Mitch McConnell Although Alabama is one
political differences. Ameri- which has fully inoculated said, and her son felt so sick COVID-19 have been exag- (R-Ky.) has urged Ameri- of the nation’s most conser-
cans have disagreed on nearly 77%. The number of he missed a few days of work gerated, outlandish theories cans to get vaccinated, last vative states, it is a predomi-
masks, government lock- COVID-19 patients in Ala- after taking his first shot. about the vaccines contain- month saying, “It’s not com- nantly rural state with a
downs and even the serious- bama hospitals climbed in Serious side effects are ing microchips for govern- plicated.” higher percentage of Black
ness of a virus that has killed the last month to 2,134 from rare. ment tracking. Some of the Even in Alabama, where residents than the nation as
more than 617,000 people in about 247. If the current rate Dunn suffers from biggest pushback has come most people remain unvac- a whole and a dismal record
the country. of increase continues, the Crohn’s disease and arthri- from those who don’t trust cinated, Republican Gov. of health inequities.
“This is the most politi- state’s hospitals could tis — conditions that make the government. Kay Ivey has said it is time Trust is a particular issue
cized I’ve ever seen America within a month exceed the her especially vulnerable to “You hear the conspiracy for the vaccinated to push among Black Alabamans,
— and the tragedy is that it’s January peak of 3,089 pa- the effects of the virus — and theories; they don’t trust the back. “It’s time to start many of whom remember
politicized over a life-and- tients, the president of the contracted COVID-19 in De- government, a lot of political blaming the unvaccinated the U.S. government’s 40-
death issue,” said Frank Alabama Hospital Assn. has cember. She didn’t know last factors,” said Jackson, who folks, not the regular folks,” year-long syphilis experi-
Luntz, a Republican pollster warned. week if she still had antibod- is vaccinated. “It’s just a she told reporters last ment in Tuskegee, which in-
advising the Biden adminis- But many Alabama resi- ies that would protect her complete distrust of every- month. “It’s the unvacci- volved withholding treat-
tration’s COVID-19 task dents seem more worried from future variants and body in authority.” nated folks that are letting ment from hundreds of
force about how to reach about the vaccine than had not sought her doctor’s As someone who knows us down.” Black men.
people who are reluctant to about the virus. advice about vaccines. most people in his small The Americans most Budhwani said Ameri-
get vaccinated. “I don’t want to be a guin- Politics, she said, have town — and has a pretty likely to reject vaccines, cans have all kinds of rea-
As Delta has caused ea pig,” said Renee Dunn, 43. nothing to do with her reluc- good idea of who has been Luntz said, voted for Trump, sons for declining vaccina-
COVID-19 cases and hos- Dunn is a manager at Jack’s, tance. She did not vote in vaccinated and who hasn’t live in small towns and rural tions, whether it’s fear of
pitalizations across the U.S. a fast-food restaurant in 2020. But she said one factor — Jackson tends to not push areas and are under the age needles, distrust of the gov-
to skyrocket, the highest Heflin, an east Alabama might change her mind: back on conspiracy theories, of 70. Part of the problem, ernment’s intentions, suspi-
number of infections and town that is the seat of Cle- Food and Drug Administra- he said. Instead, he focuses Luntz said, was that Trump cion about the speed of vac-
most severe outcomes are burne County, a rural area tion approval of a vaccine. on people with legitimate was relatively silent on the cine development or confu-
occurring in areas with low with one of the state’s lowest Other residents of this questions, providing infor- issue as websites controlled sion over what they perceive
vaccination rates, according vaccination rates. Accord- staunchly conservative Ala- mation about side effects by those opposed to the vac- to be unclear or mixed gov-
to the Centers for Disease ing to the Alabama Depart- bama county, where nearly 9 and emphasizing that a vac- cines spread incorrect and ernment messaging.
Control and Prevention. But ment of Public Health, 1 in 4 in 10 voters cast ballots for cine decreases their chance misleading information. Others, she said, believe
the pace of vaccinations has Cleburne County residents Trump in 2020, are more re- of being hospitalized or dy- Over the last few months, that the effects of COVID-19
risen over the last few weeks, over the age of 12 has been sistant. ing of COVID-19. Luntz’s focus groups have have been exaggerated or
particularly in Southern fully vaccinated. Ryan Jackson, a pharma- A Republican, he dis- become more resistant to that the virus will not affect
states that have shown Dunn worries that the cist who manages Wright missed the idea that the vac- vaccination, he said. At first, them. Some are forcefully re-
strong hesitancy. vaccines were manufac- Drug Co. in Heflin, said he cine divide comes down to participants would ask belling against what they
Still, Alabama lags be- tured too quickly. Her has heard every reason to partisan politics. questions; they rarely do view as infringement on
hind all other states, with mother had a bad reaction not get a shot: fear that the “I’m about as conserva- anymore. Instead, he said, their autonomy.
just 40% of residents over to a vaccine this year and vaccines could lead to side tive as you can get, and I’m they counter with argu- Persuading people, she
the age of 12 fully vaccinated suffered from sore joints, effects such as infertility, about as pro-vax as you can ments they had read online said, would involve public
— compared with Vermont, fever and confusion, she belief that the risks of be,” he said, noting that all of and actively try to reject the health messaging developed
facts presented. and delivered by trusted
“It has gone from hesita- members of the community,
tion to skepticism to cyni- such as church leaders and
cism — and now it’s rejec- teachers.

Pentagon to require COVID vaccinations tion,” Luntz said. “There are

millions of people who’ve
made up their mind not to
get the vaccine.”
There is reason for hope.
Despite political polariza-
tion, some conservative
states with the highest rates
than mid-September, or ments and companies the American population. As more patients are ad- of daily new cases, including
Military will mandate immediately upon” licen- around the world, as nations It also provides time for mitted each day to emer- Alabama, are seeing the big-
sure by the Food and Drug struggle with the highly con- the FDA to give final approv- gency rooms, many vacci- gest jumps in vaccination
that its members get Administration, “whichever tagious Delta variant of the al to the Pfizer vaccine, nated Americans have lost rates.
shots by Sept. 15, says comes first,” Defense Secre- coronavirus that has sent which is expected early next patience with those who are At Wright Drug Co. in
tary Lloyd J. Austin III says new U.S. cases, hospitali- month. Without that formal hesitant or flat-out refuse. Heflin, Jackson has started
memo to troops from in the memo to service zations and deaths surging approval, Austin would need The indignation is most to see a slight uptick in de-
secretary of Defense. members, warning them to to heights not seen since a waiver from Biden to make vocal in liberal urban hubs, mand, he said, from fewer
prepare for the requirement. peaks in the winter. the shots mandatory. where people abided by re- than 10 vaccinations a week
“I will not hesitate to act Austin said in his memo Troops often live and strictions and hoped that in June to more than 20 a
associated press
sooner or recommend a dif- that the military services work closely together in bar- mass vaccinations would week — nothing like the ini-
ferent course to the presi- would have the next few racks and on ships, increas- bring life back to normal — tial demand for 200 to 250
WASHINGTON — The dent if I feel the need to weeks to prepare, and deter- ing the risk of rapid conta- allowing them to take off shots a week, but enough to
Pentagon will require mem- do so.” mine how many vaccines gion. And any large out- masks, dine indoors, return raise his confidence.
bers of the U.S. military to The memo was expected they needed and how this break of the virus in the mili- to schools and put the threat “It’s not too late,” he said.
get the COVID-19 vaccine by to go out Monday. mandate would be imple- tary could affect America’s of COVID-19 behind them. “I think the longer we go,
Sept. 15, according to a Austin’s decision comes a mented. The additional ability to defend itself in a In Portland, Ore., where people will see that we’re not
memo obtained by the Asso- bit more than a week after time, however, also is a nod national security crisis. more than 4 in 5 residents growing extra limbs and
ciated Press. That deadline President Biden told De- to the bitter political divi- The decision will add the ages 12 and older are vacci- third eyeballs. More people
may be pushed up if the vac- fense officials to develop a siveness over the vaccine COVID-19 vaccine to a list of nated, Dean Gadda, a re- will come around.”
cine receives final FDA ap- plan requiring service mem- and the knowledge that other inoculations that serv- tired small-business owner
proval or infection rates con- bers to get shots as part of a making it mandatory will ice members are already re- who got vaccinated as soon Jarvie reported from
tinue to rise. broader campaign to in- probably trigger opposition quired to get. Depending on as he could, lost his temper Cleburne County, Ala.;
“I will seek the presi- crease vaccinations in the from vaccine opponents their location around the with a family that lives on his Read from Seattle; and
dent’s approval to make the federal workforce. It reflects across the state and federal world, service members can street, he said. Hennessy-Fiske from Fort
vaccines mandatory no later similar decisions by govern- governments, Congress and get as many as 17 vaccines. One of the family’s three Bend County, Texas.
L AT I M E S . C O M T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 A7

Why GOP
is handing
Biden his bill
[Infrastructure, from A1] provoked strong reactions
Upon passing the biparti- from the GOP base, ex-
san plan, Democrats hope to hausted precious political
soon approve the framework capital in his first two years
for a second bill, a sweeping in office on a more ideolog-
Democratic proposal that ical push for healthcare re-
includes massive subsidies form. Conversely, Republi-
and tax breaks for working cans have struggled to nega-
families, free preschool and tively define Biden, and his
community college, a large prioritization of infrastruc-
expansion of Medicare and ture legislation has main-
other tax cuts. tained broad public support
Knowing that no Repub- and generated little political
licans will support the mea- backlash.
sure, Democrats plan to uti- “It’s not like we’re asking
lize a process known as rec- people to vote for unpopular
onciliation, which requires things,” Dunn said. “We’re
just 50 Senate votes, plus a asking them to vote for
tiebreaker from the vice popular things.” Kent Nishimura Los Angeles Times
president, for passage. Seven in 10 Americans SENATE MINORITY LEADER Mitch McConnell, center, was among the Republicans who voted Sunday to
After Trump failed to back the bipartisan infra- advance President Biden’s $1-trillion infrastructure bill. A final vote on the measure is expected Tuesday.
achieve infrastructure legis- structure proposal, accord-
lation — his repeated efforts ing to a Monmouth Uni- encouraged his team to en- Democrats in swing dis- national defense are the pol- it is a fairly hard sell.”
to promote “Infrastructure versity poll that the White gage with a bipartisan group tricts who need it. And it icy issues that provide op- To that end, McConnell
Week” became a running House cited in a memo to of senators drawing up their does give him freedom to go portunities for us to do the and other Republican lead-
Washington joke — Biden lawmakers this week. The own infrastructure plan. in a more partisan direction right thing.” ers, such as Sen. Rob Port-
has sought to leverage his 36 initiative also has the back- After agreeing to a basic on other things.” Republicans also feel man of Ohio, who led nego-
years of experience in the ing of the U.S. Chamber of framework, Biden nearly But the bifurcated ap- confident that any biparti- tiations on the bipartisan
Senate to pursue a domestic Commerce and other trade torpedoed the effort by say- proach also benefits Repub- san credit Biden receives proposal, have stressed to
program modeled after groups, as well as the coun- ing he wouldn’t sign it until licans. By backing the bipar- from the deal will come their colleagues in closed-
President Franklin D. try’s largest labor unions. Democrats passed their tisan bill, they can showcase crashing down when Demo- door lunches that the two
Roosevelt’s New Deal. With both parties looking companion bill — a likely a willingness to work with a crats turn to the partisan bills are separate — that
Taking office amid the ahead to the 2022 midterm $3.5-trillion package — Democratic administration proposal. backing the infrastructure
COVID-19 pandemic, Biden, election that will decide con- through the budget reconcil- to advance shared goals “The problem he’s going plan doesn’t amount to en-
along with other Democrats, trol of Congress, several Re- iation process. while vehemently opposing to have is he’s going to shift abling the Democrats’ larger
brushed aside Republican publicans have calculated Though Biden quickly the Democrats’ second bill within minutes of passage agenda.
opposition in March to enact that there’s more risk in out- walked back that comment, — a release valve for the par- of this bipartisan bill into a Many Democrats believe
a $1.9-trillion relief bill. But right obstinacy than in occa- his blunt assertion under- tisan steam that animates hyperpartisan bill,” Cramer the tangible benefits for
the decision to pivot to infra- sionally meeting the presi- lined his pursuit of a two- the party’s base. said. “He will in that mo- Americans in the go-it-alone
structure, multiple adminis- dent in the middle. track approach, which has “For Republicans, it’s a ment, I think, squander all measure — and potential tax
tration officials say, was “If you’re a Republican, proved — so far — to be polit- twofer,” said Whit Ayres, a the goodwill he would right- hikes on people earning
based on a view that legisla- you want to prove that ically shrewd. GOP pollster. “There’s lots fully deserve.” more than $400,000 a year
tion focused on economic you’re not just here to com- The two bills, in theory, to like in both positions.” Republicans plan to at- that would pay for the
recovery was the logical next pletely block and stop the placate both ends of the Sen. Kevin Cramer (R- tack Biden for ramming new programs — are popu-
step and provided Biden an entire agenda,” said Sen. president’s party: moder- N.D.), who has supported through a costly partisan bill lar, setting up their 2022
opportunity to notch a bi- John Thune of South Da- ates craving a return to the bipartisan bill while op- immediately after reaching campaigns to draw sharp
partisan achievement. kota, the No. 2 Republican in bipartisan deal-making, and posing the Democrats’ rec- across the aisle. They have distinctions to their GOP
“The president always the Senate. “It’d be good, progressives eager to enact a onciliation measure, is OK already warned that Demo- opponents.
felt like this is a bill that’s maybe, for the administra- broader agenda — giving giving the president a bipar- crats will attempt to raise “I look forward to run-
going to get Republican tion, and they probably need Democrats, as some Repub- tisan “win,” believing GOP taxes on high earners to pay ning on both bills,” said Sen.
support, because these are a win right about now, but I licans have argued, a chance lawmakers will benefit from for the plan. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.),
issues that have always been also think that there are to have it both ways. delivering to their voters But drawing a clear dis- who is up for reelection next
bipartisan,” said Anita benefits politically to mem- “If you can get major leg- long-needed improvements tinction between the two year. “After years and years
Dunn, counselor to Biden, in bers on both sides.” islation through with sup- and projects. bills could be something of a of obstruction, years and
an interview. “We haven’t Biden’s push for biparti- port from both parties, in “Not every transaction challenge. Republicans years of just partisan war-
had a major infrastructure san legislation has required Washington right now, that requires a winner and a “want to be sure voters fare that hasn’t delivered
bill in this country for a long persistence, flexibility and is a major accomplishment,” loser,” Cramer said. “Some understand the difference in much for the American peo-
time, and there’s desperate legislative acrobatics. After said Mike DuHaime, a GOP transactions can have win- this bill and the next bill,” ple, we now, with these two
need for it.” talks with Republicans fal- strategist in New Jersey. ners on both sides. I think said Blunt, the Republican bills, are going to deliver
President Obama, who tered in early June, Biden “He’s giving cover to a lot of infrastructure along with senator from Missouri. “And quite a lot.”

Democrats propose Cuomo aide quits amid fallout

$3.5 trillion for social tion after Cuomo. to call for Cuomo’s resigna-

and climate programs Melissa DeRosa steps

down as the New York
She appeared by his side
in most of his news briefings
and often fielded policy
tion or impeachment told
the AP in recent interviews
that they were swayed by the
governor faces claims questions from reporters heft of the report.
progressive and moderate when the governor did not “I think the majority of us
Senate measure likely factions. of sexual harassment, know enough details to an- feel that the governor is not
to run into unanimous “At its core, this legisla- call for impeachment. swer. in a position to lead the state
tion is about restoring the DeRosa was mentioned any longer, and that’s not a
opposition from GOP. middle class in the 21st cen-
By Marina Villeneuve
187 times in the attorney gen- temporary position,” said
tury and giving more Ameri- eral’s report, which detailed Assembly member John
cans the opportunity to get the administration’s efforts McDonald, a Democrat
associated press
there,” Senate Majority ALBANY, N.Y. — Melissa to discredit some of his ac- whose district includes Al-
Leader Charles E. Schumer DeRosa, a fixture by Andrew cusers. bany, the state capital.
WASHINGTON — Sen- (D-N.Y.) said in a letter to his Cuomo’s side for months The report described The Assembly’s judiciary
ate Democrats unveiled a colleagues that unveiled the during his coronavirus news Mary Altaffer AP DeRosa as a central figure committee planned to meet
budget resolution Monday plan. conferences, resigned late MELISSA DeROSA had in his office’s retaliation Monday to discuss when to
that maps $3.5 trillion in The resolution calls for Sunday on the heels of a re- fiercely backed New York against one of the women, conclude its months-long in-
spending boosts and tax creating free pre-kindergar- port that found he sexually Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Lindsey Boylan, after she vestigation into whether
breaks aimed at strength- ten for 3- and 4-year olds and harassed 11 women, leaving became the first person to there are grounds to im-
ening social and environ- and two years of free com- the New York governor with- cast the first TV interview of speak out publicly. The ad- peach Cuomo.
mental programs, setting up munity college; extending out his top aide as he faces an executive assistant who ministration released inter- The investigation has fo-
an autumn battle over Presi- tax breaks for children and the prospect of impeach- accused Cuomo of groping nal memos showing that cused on sexual harassment
dent Biden’s domestic pol- some low-income workers; ment. her breast. Boylan had herself been the and misconduct, the admin-
icy ambitions. and establishing paid family DeRosa, who had been In her first public inter- subject of complaints about istration’s past refusal to
The measure lays the and sick leave. one of Cuomo’s fiercest de- view in which she identified toxic workplace behavior. release how many nursing
groundwork for legislation Medicare coverage would fenders and strategists, said herself, Brittany Commisso The investigators’ report home residents died of
later this year that over a be expanded to cover dental, in a statement sent to multi- told CBS and the Albany also revealed some tension COVID-19, the use of state re-
decade would pour moun- hearing and vision benefits. ple news organizations that (N.Y.) Times Union that she between DeRosa and Cuo- sources for Cuomo’s $5-mil-
tains of federal resources Spending would increase for serving the people of New waited to have her name mo: She told investigators lion book deal and efforts to
into their top priorities. housing, home healthcare York had been “the greatest publicly attached to the alle- she was so upset with the prioritize coronavirus tests
Included would be more and job training, and new re- honor of my life.” gations because she was way Cuomo had handled a for the governor’s inner
money for healthcare, edu- sources would go to efforts But she added that “per- fearful of retaliation. conversation with one of his circle in spring 2020, when
cation, family services and encouraging a faster transi- sonally, the past two years Commisso said Cuomo accusers, former aide Char- testing was scarce.
environmental programs tion to clean energy. have been emotionally and reached under her shirt and lotte Bennett, that she an- Some lawmakers want an
and tax breaks for families, To pay for the plans, mentally trying.” fondled her when they were grily got out of his car when it impeachment vote in days,
with much of it paid for with taxes would be raised on She did not offer a more alone in a room at the Execu- stopped at a traffic light. but committee members say
tax increases on rich people wealthy people and large specific reason for her resig- tive Mansion last year. “I ex- “She told the governor, ‘I the inquiry could wrap up in
and corporations. corporations, without any nation. actly remember looking can’t believe that this hap- a month. State law requires
The measure’s introduc- increases on people earning “I am forever grateful for down, seeing his hand, pened. I can’t believe you put at least 30 days between
tion marks the start of a long less than $400,000 a year, the opportunity to have which is a large hand, think- yourself in a situation where an Assembly impeachment
legislative trek through a key Biden campaign worked with such talented ing to myself, ‘Oh, my God. you would be having any ver- vote and Senate impeach-
Congress of legislation that pledge. and committed colleagues This is happening,’ ” Com- sion of this conversation,’ ” ment trial.
Democrats hope will result The budget also calls for on behalf of our state,” she misso said. the report said. Amanda Septimo, an As-
in a progressive reshaping of reducing the prices the fed- said. She recounted another The governor’s lawyers sembly member, called for
government in the fall. eral government pays for DeRosa’s departure occasion in which she alleges have promised what will urgency, saying Cuomo was
To succeed, they’ll have pharmaceuticals it buys for comes as Cuomo has dug in Cuomo rubbed her buttocks probably be a drawn-out damaging the Democratic
to overcome likely unani- Medicare recipients, a long- for the fight of his political while they posed for a photo. fight to stay in office, and few Party nationally.
mous Republican opposi- time goal of Democrats who life despite the threat of Commisso was the first see him as willing to quit. “I’m willing to put money
tion and find the sweet spot want the government to be criminal investigations and woman to file a criminal “My sense ... from what on how soon we see Cuomo’s
between the demands of allowed to negotiate those widespread calls for his im- complaint against Cuomo. I’m hearing is he’s still look- face on an attack mailer
their own often antagonistic prices. peachment and resignation. Cuomo, who has denied ing for ways to fight this and somewhere in Ohio,” she
Scores of Democrats, in- touching any women inap- get his side of the story out,” said.
cluding President Biden, propriately, has largely been New York state Democratic Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul
have urged him to leave of- holed up in the governor’s Party Chairman Jay Jacobs would take over for Cuomo if
fice or face an impeachment mansion since the release of told the Associated Press. a majority of the 150-mem-
battle he probably cannot a 168-page report written by But, he added, “I just ber Assembly votes to im-
win. two independent attorneys think that he’s going to, at peach him.
About two-thirds of state selected by the state attor- some point, see that the po- Albany County Sheriff
Assembly members have al- ney general to investigate his litical support is just not Craig Apple said Saturday
ready said they favor an im- behavior. anywhere near enough to that Cuomo could face mis-
peachment trial if he refuses His lawyers have at- even make an attempt demeanor charges if investi-
to resign. Nearly all 63 mem- tacked the credibility and worthwhile.” gators substantiate Com-
bers of the state Senate have motives of his accusers. Cuomo lawyer Rita misso’s complaint. At least
called for Cuomo to step DeRosa, who often de- Glavin told CNN on Sat- five district attorneys have
down or be removed. fended Cuomo when he urday that he had no plans asked for materials from the
More punishing news for faced public criticism, had to resign. attorney general’s inquiry to
the governor was expected been with the administra- She called the attorney see if any of the allegations
Monday when an Assembly tion since 2013. She received general’s report “shoddy” could result in criminal
committee met to discuss the title “secretary to the and “biased” and “an am- charges.
Kent Nishimura Los Angeles Times possible impeachment pro- governor” in 2017, and was bush.”
SEN. Bernie Sanders, left, and Senate Majority ceedings. Also Monday, probably the most recogniz- Dozens of state lawmak- Villeneuve writes for the
Leader Charles E. Schumer walk through the Capitol. “CBS This Morning” broad- able face in the administra- ers who were once hesitant Associated Press.
A8 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M

BUSINESS
Employers too timid on vaccine rules
Some have mandates but bypass front-line workers; many others don’t even go that far.
MICHAEL HILTZIK quit if faced with the
prospect of yet another
At least on employer mandate on top of
the surface, working conditions and pay
the tide has that are less than compel-
turned in ling. A well-paying, hard-to-
favor of get job at Google, on the
employers other hand, may be harder
mandating to give up merely in protest
that work- to an inoculation rule.
ers, and in As for the threat of law-
some cases suits, it’s real, even though
even customers visiting the legal balance has swung
their premises, be vacci- strongly, if not decisively, in
nated. favor of allowing vaccination
That’s the impression mandates.
one gets from news reports In a June 12 ruling, a
naming Walmart, Walt federal judge in Houston
Disney Co., Google, Frontier found nothing untoward
and United airlines, and about a vaccination man-
Walgreens as companies date imposed on employees
requiring employees to be of Houston Methodist Medi-
inoculated against cal Center, where more than
COVID-19. 100 nurses objected to being
But there’s less here than forced to vaccinate. The
meets the eye. Some of plaintiffs, ruled Judge Lynn
these companies are ex- N. Hughes, “can freely
empting their front-line choose to accept or reject a
retail workers, who are most COVID-19 vaccine.” If they
at risk of infection — and refuse, however, they “will
most likely to spread it to simply need to work some-
customers and family mem- Matt Rourke Associated Press where else.”
bers. WALMART AND WALGREENS are requiring office workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. But they The federal Equal Em-
Some are imposing what are not mandating shots for front-line retail employees, who are at higher risk for infection and transmission. ployment Opportunity
experts call a “soft man- Commission advises that
date,” meaning that vacci- prefer to stay out of it, but, ployees in California came Democrats and progres- Vaccination mandates federal laws “do not prevent
nation resisters simply have unfortunately, that’s not the under a mandate to be sives, the census figures are also spreading among an employer from requiring
to undergo regular testing. case we’re living in. And if vaccinated or undergo identify another pool of Silicon Valley companies. all employees physically
The vast majority of you want to be part of bring- regular testing; the same holdouts — young Ameri- That may not be surprising, entering the workplace to be
employers are still holding ing COVID to its knees, then mandate was applied to cans, those with low in- since their workforces tend vaccinated for COVID-19,”
off, waiting for even clearer you have got to step up and healthcare workers and comes, and people of color. to be relatively well-paid provided that the mandate
guidance from federal or lead and do things like this. others in high-risk catego- Unfortunately, those are and well-educated; many doesn’t discriminate among
state governments that may ... What we have experi- ries on Aug. 9. City workers the workers most often left also have jobs that can be workers on the basis of race,
tip the scale. Some may be enced is that, for all of the in New York will have to be behind by corporate vacci- done remotely. religion, gender, age or other
holding off pending formal people who might be con- vaccinated or undergo nation mandates as they are Kirthi Kalyanam, direc- protected categories.
approval of the vaccines by cerned about [mandates], regular testing. currently implemented. tor of the Retail Manage- The Department of
the Food and Drug Admin- there are many, many, many There’s no doubt in the Walmart and Walgreens, for ment Institute at Santa Justice, furthermore, has
istration. more people who say, thank scientific and medical com- instance, are requiring Clara University, attributes concluded that public and
The FDA has granted you, I feel safer now.” munities that widespread vaccinations among their that in part to the “early private employers aren’t
emergency use authoriza- That said, the letter vaccination is the key to office workers, but not of adopter” pattern often seen barred from imposing vacci-
tion to three vaccines on the writers stopped short of beating the pandemic. their front-line retail em- in high technology — those nation requirements, in-
U.S. market; that’s a some- advocating all-out vaccina- Although case rates have ployees, who are most likely who are most welcoming to cluding those subject to
what less rigorous standard tion mandates; in situations been rising in every state to be young and low-paid. innovation will try new emergency approval by the
than full approval, although where a vaccination require- because of the spread of the Some other companies technologies first; since the FDA. Federal law requires
experts expect the latter to ment is not an option, they highly transmissible Delta with highly vulnerable most widely distributed only that those subject to a
be coming within weeks or recommended subjecting variant, they’re rising more workforces are still shy COVID-19 vaccines, those mandate be informed that
months. the unvaccinated to regular slowly in states and regions about mandating shots. developed by Moderna and they can accept or refuse
For those employers, the tests. They also called on with higher vaccination That includes Amazon, Pfizer, use a new method, the shot and what the con-
concept of requiring vacci- employers to offer cash rates. In those areas, more- which is only going as far as they fall into that category. sequences might be for
nations is “still at the talk incentives, paid time off to over, hospitalization and requiring masks of its “People who are unvacci- refusal. But it doesn’t bar
level,” says Dorit Rubinstein get vaccinated and easy death rates are generally 900,000 warehouse workers nated are those I would call employers from applying
Reiss, an expert in vaccine access to vaccinations. lower than in places with regardless of their vaccina- late adopters,” Kalyanam consequences that may
policy at UC’s Hastings “I believe in [mandates], low vaccination rates. tion status. Similar rules told me. “A lot of those peo- include loss of employment.
College of the Law. but we need to take the Unvaccinated communi- apply to front-line workers ple are also front-line work- Nevertheless, a lawsuit is
That’s not good enough. excuse away from people” in ties, moreover, threaten to of other employers who are ers.” a pain for a business even if
Employers have more influ- Florida and Texas, where germinate and harbor new exempted from those com- As long as news reports victory appears assured.
ence over our lives than the partisan opposition to strains of the virus, posing panies’ vaccination rules for citing “breakthrough” infec- Anti-vaccination lawyers
almost anyone else. Lord vaccination mandates is possibly greater risks to office workers, such as tions — those afflicting the say they stand ready to
knows that’s not always a strong, Slavitt told me on- everyone. Walmart and Target. already-vaccinated — re- defend employees hit with
good thing, but in this case line. “We’ll hit a tipping Statistics showing which All-out vaccination main common, those work- inoculation mandates. “An
it’s an opportunity. point if we get enough and if demographic groups harbor mandates are seen mostly in ers might continue to har- organization will likely be at
Requiring vaccination, those that need to be tested the most vaccination hesi- limited employment sectors bor doubts about the value odds with federal law if it
albeit subject to medical get tired of it.” tancy or refusal also point to such as healthcare and of vaccinations. That’s too requires its employees,
and religious exemptions, is Public officials have the positive role employers among public-sector work- bad, since the statistics students or other members
“the best way to protect become more outspoken in could play. ers, whose government related to breakthrough to get a Covid-19 vaccine
workers and customers favor of vaccination man- According to the latest employers tend to have cases imply that the vacci- that is being distributed
where there is frequent dates. Household Pulse Survey of more authority to set work- nations work in preventing under emergency use au-
close contact with many “As a nonpolitical per- the Census Bureau, cov- place standards. But there severe cases and deaths. thorization,” New York
individuals who may be son, as a physician, as a ering the period June 23 are some exceptions. To some extent, employ- lawyer Aaron Siri, whose
infected,” observes 35 scientist, the compelling through July 5, vaccination United Airlines has ers’ timidity about imposing firm has aligned itself with
healthcare, political and case for vaccines for every- resistance is strongest become the first major vaccination mandates is anti-vaccination forces,
civic leaders in an open body is right there in front of among people in their 20s carrier to require all employ- understandable. Business wrote in February.
letter urging the private you. Just look at the data,” and 30s and among Black ees to be vaccinated or face owners are naturally risk- Some employers may be
sector to take an aggressive Francis Collins, director of Americans compared with termination. “The facts are averse, and they may see wary of union opposition to
stand in favor of vaccina- the National Institutes of other racial groups. It’s crystal clear: everyone is mandates as invitations for vaccination mandates.
tion. Health, said Sunday on correlated with education safer when everyone is lawsuits or wholesale resig- Organized labor hasn’t
Asked what he would say ABC’s “This Week.” “I cele- and income — resistance vaccinated,” CEO Scott nations. The latter could be spoken uniformly about the
to a company chief execu- brate when I see businesses falls as one moves up either Kirby and President Brett a problem for mass employ- issue, acknowledges Steve
tive leery of imposing a deciding that they’re going scale. Hart stated in an Aug. 6 ers of low-wage labor such Smith, spokesman for the
vaccination mandate, for- to mandate that for their Although a sizable share memo to employees. Thus as Amazon and mass retail- California Labor Federa-
mer Medicare and Medicaid employees. … I think we of vaccination refusal is far, only the small budget ers, which are scrambling tion.
administrator Andy Slavitt, ought to use every public related to partisan leanings, airline Frontier has im- for workers in a tight labor “The labor movement is
a signer of the letter, told health tool that we can with Republicans and con- posed a similar rule, but market. incredibly pro-vaccine, but
PBS News Hour: when people are dying.” servatives less likely to other major carriers may Those workers, more- they want workers to be at
“We know you would As of Aug. 2, public em- accept vaccination than soon fall into line. over, may be more likely to the table when these mat-
ters are discussed,” Smith
told me. Unions tend to
want employers to ensure
MARKET ROUNDUP that workers have access to
vaccination if it’s required,

Tech, energy lead stocks’ retreat from highs and get paid time off to get
the shots and to recover
from any side effects.
It isn’t yet clear what will
beating Wall Street’s profit Friday’s report that the bring more employers over
associated press
forecasts. economy generated 943,000 to the vaccination-mandate
Major stock indexes Investors are also closely jobs last month and the un- camp. “Clarity would be
Technology and energy Daily Daily % YTD % watching the world’s reac- employment rate fell to 5.4% helpful,” says Reiss, observ-
Index Close change change change
companies led stocks lower tion to the latest surge of the from 5.9% in June. ing that some state rules,
on Wall Street on Monday, Dow industrials 35,101.85 -106.66 -0.30 +14.69 coronavirus. Some govern- The solid jobs figures also including those in Cali-
easing the market back from S&P 500 4,432.35 -4.17 -0.09 +18.00 ments have reimposed lim- raise some concerns about fornia, remain murky for
its recent all-time highs. Nasdaq composite 14,860.18 +24.42 +0.16 +15.30 its on business and travel. wage inflation and the pace private employers outside of
The Standard & Poor’s S&P 400 2,709.80 -7.56 -0.28 +17.48 China canceled flights as it of economic growth. healthcare. Formal FDA
500 slipped 0.1%, erasing an tries to stop a rash of out- “We’re burning our way approval of the vaccines
Russell 2000 2,234.81 -12.95 -0.58 +13.16
early gain. Technology com- breaks. Australia’s two most back to full employment could help, although that
panies accounted for a big EuroStoxx 50 3,624.99 +12.03 +0.33 +16.62 populous states have told fast,” Kelly said. “Once we approval is largely a fore-
share of the decline. Indus- Nikkei (Japan) 27,820.04 — — +1.37 people to stay home except get there the economy is go- gone conclusion.
trial and consumer-centric Hang Seng (Hong Kong) 26,283.40 +104.00 +0.40 -3.48 to go to work or for a handful ing to slow down.” But there’s no legal rea-
stocks also fell. Those losses Associated Press of other reasons. The latest figures also son why employers who
outweighed gains in health- Analysts expect the U.S. raise concerns about infla- require vaccinations among
care companies, banks and iants will have on the econo- more than the rest of the and global economies to tion fueled by the improving their office staff can’t extend
elsewhere in the market. my and the Federal Re- market. The Russell 2000 in- continue growing but have job market, as employers are the rule to front-line work-
Energy companies serve’s next monetary policy dex lost 12.95 points, or 0.6%, cautioned that the resur- potentially forced to raise ers on their factory floors or
slumped the most among moves, said Sylvia Jab- to end at 2,234.81. gent virus could slow down wages to fill jobs. in retail stores. The time has
S&P 500 stocks as the price lonski, chief investment offi- Bond yields moved the pace. Investors will get another come to show their genuine
of benchmark U.S. crude oil cer at Defiance ETFs. higher. The yield on the 10- “That’s one part of the piece of data on inflation commitment to the task of
fell 2.6% to its lowest levels “People who got in and year Treasury rose to 1.32% story and that could be hold- when the Labor Depart- suppressing the pandemic.
since May. The move lower saw some of the stocks that from 1.28% late Friday. Bond ing back” the stock market, ment releases its consumer
follows a decline of 7.7% last they hold at all-time highs yields tend to move with ex- said David Kelly, chief global price index for July on Keep up to date with Michael
week. on Friday, perhaps they’re pectations for the economy strategist at JPMorgan Wednesday. Wall Street is Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on
Every major index was selling a little bit off today and for inflation. Funds. “We don’t really have still trying to gauge how Twitter, see his Facebook
coming off weekly gains last and might be opportunisti- The latest round of cor- a handle on how bad the much inflation might rise as page or email michael.hiltzik
week, which ended with cally trading some of this porate earnings is winding Delta variant might get.” the economy recovers and @latimes.com.
record highs for the S&P 500 volatility,” she said. down, and nearly 90% of Investors have been tak- whether that will push the
and the Dow Jones indus- The S&P 500 fell 4.17 companies in the S&P 500 ing in a steady stream of en- Federal Reserve to trim
trial average. points to 4,432.35. The Dow have reported their latest re- couraging economic re- back its support for the
The modest pullback is dropped 106.66 points, or sults. The reports have been ports. The latest from the economy sooner than ex-
another example of the vola- 0.3%, to 35,101.85. The mostly solid. Tyson Foods Labor Department shows pected. Lazarus column
tility the market has seen Nasdaq added 24.42 points, jumped 8.7% for one of the that U.S. employers posted a Major indexes in Europe David Lazarus has the
amid uncertainty over the or 0.2%, to end at 14,860.18. biggest gains in the S&P 500 record 10.1 million job open- edged lower while indexes in day off. His column will
effect that coronavirus var- Smaller companies fell on Monday after handily ings in June. That follows Asia ended mixed. be back next week.
L AT I M E S . C O M T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 A9

Why long-term net-zero vows fall short

and retail industries have
Companies’ emission led the pack. Microsoft says
it intends to go not only car-
targets are decades bon-neutral but carbon-
away. But U.N. report negative by 2030, meaning it
would remove more carbon
shows climate action from the atmosphere than it
is more urgent. emits — a pledge that de-
pends on a massive scaling-
up of carbon capture tech-
By Sammy Roth, nologies. Apple vowed that
Russ Mitchell its entire supply chain will be
and Sam Dean carbon-neutral by 2030.
Walmart, the nation’s
The global climate report largest retailer, pledged in
released Monday offered a 2020 that it would eliminate
dramatic reminder of the emissions from its own oper-
need to slash use of fossil fu- ations by 2040, and since 2017
els — not just by 2050, when has been working to help its
many corporations have vast network of suppliers cut
pledged to stop scorching carbon. Amazon pledged
the planet, but in the next two years ago to zero out its
few years. carbon pollution by 2040, in
Scientists have said that response to a massive em-
zeroing out planet-warming ployee walkout that called
emissions by midcentury is for the company to reach
needed to stave off the worst that goal by 2030.
consequences of the climate But those types of goals
crisis. But there’s a giant gap don’t always result in the
between the many compa- near-term progress that sci-
nies that have pledged to entists say is badly needed.
achieve net-zero emissions Amazon, for instance, dra-
by 2050 and the much faster matically increased its emis-
action the new report makes Michael Owen Baker For The Times sions in 2020 as demand
clear is desperately needed. EXXON MOBIL has known since the 1970s about its role in global warming but for decades denied the scien- surged during the pan-
“You can’t get to those tific consensus. The oil and gas company is reportedly considering a pledge of net-zero emissions by 2050. demic, using 69% more fossil
kinds of ambitious emis- fuels for its own delivery net-
sions targets without get- works and measuring nearly
ting to work now,” said Kim
Cobb, a climate scientist at ‘We will land in very different places in 2050 depending 30% emission increases for
new equipment and third-
Georgia Institute of Tech- party transportation.
nology. “There’s a mountain
of change between where we
on the near-term reductions that occur.’ Cynthia Cummis, who
works with the private sec-
are here and where we would —K IM C OBB , tor to set emission-reduc-
need to be.” climate scientist at Georgia Institute of Technology tion goals through the Sci-
Cobb was a lead author ence Based Targets
of the Intergovernmental initiative, said she’s encour-
Panel on Climate Change’s helpful but wildly insuffi- 2050, with General Motors electric vehicles are spread that natural gas probably aged by the more than 1,600
latest report. Hundreds of cient. And many environ- and Volvo aiming for 2040. across several programs must decline this decade, companies that have
researchers contributed to mentalists have slammed Under heavy pressure from with hard-to-decipher re- possibly as much as 30% — a pledged to set targets that
the authoritative dispatch, them as little more than a regulators in the Biden ad- quirements, and funding fre- reality at odds with the align with what climate sci-
which found that rising tem- marketing tool for compa- ministration and globally, quently runs out, forcing many utility companies entists say is necessary, in-
peratures are already fuel- nies trying to show off their the auto industry has com- people to wait months for pledging net-zero while cluding AT&T, Pfizer, Sony
ing worse heat waves, environmental bona fides. mitted to invest hundreds of their checks. Federal tax building new gas plants. and Visa.
droughts, fires and storms To Jonathan Foley, a cli- billions of dollars in electric credits, too, are running low President Biden wants “Now we’ve got to see if
— events Californians know mate scientist who leads vehicles and other clean and are more helpful for the country to get 100% of its the commitments lead to
all too well. The report built Project Drawdown, there technologies, including higher-income buyers. electricity from climate- validated targets and lead to
on earlier United Nations- are two problems with net- hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. “What we really need is to friendly sources by 2035. Sci- actual achievement of the
backed science showing the zero goals. The first is But those commitments get everyone’s attention, get entists say it’s possible, but targets,” she said.
world must cut heat-trap- they’re difficult to measure. could change if consumers everyone focused,” said Dan requiring companies to Unless companies can
ping carbon emissions “Net zero” technically don’t step up — or if the com- Sperling, a former California achieve it may hinge on the start cutting emissions now,
nearly in half by 2030, and means emitting no more car- panies have a change of air-quality regulator who vote of coal-state Demo- climate advocates will be
close to zero by the middle of bon than you remove from heart. heads the Institute of Trans- cratic Sen. Joe Manchin of skeptical of 2050 pledges.
the century. the atmosphere, but Foley While America’s three portation Studies at UC West Virginia. The global nonprofit Oxfam
The vast majority of cli- said this leaves a lot of room largest automakers stood Davis. “This is urgent.” California law, mean- International released a
mate pollution comes from for companies to fudge the with President Biden last Electricity is the coun- while, requires power com- report last week labeling
burning coal, oil and natural numbers. week as he set a goal of half of try’s second-largest source panies to reach 100% clean net-zero targets “a danger-
gas. Rapid efforts to reduce The other problem is the new car sales being zero- of planet-warming emis- energy by 2045. Gov. Gavin ous distraction that could
reliance on those fuels would timeline. Foley said he’s a lot emission by 2030 — roughly sions, and a crucial sector for Newsom has acknowledged delay the rapid reductions in
lead to noticeable benefits more interested in what in line with what scientists rapid cuts especially as that timeline is inadequate emissions that high-emit-
for people living in California companies are doing now to say is necessary to avoid the other parts of the economy and needs to be sped up, al- ting countries and compa-
and across the American cut pollution. worst of global warming — — including transportation though his administration nies need to make if we are to
West, Cobb said. She “What are your goals by that goal isn’t backed up by a and home heating — shift hasn’t yet taken steps to do avoid catastrophic climate
pointed to ever-larger 2021 or 2022? And who is ac- government mandate. The from fossil fuels to electric that. breakdown.”
wildfires and ocean acidifi- countable for that?” he industry already back- power. Some experts say there’s Experts say there are big
cation that is beginning to asked. tracked once before on a cli- The list of utility compa- reason for optimism if the opportunities to reduce pol-
ravage marine ecosystems. That could be an espe- mate deal with President nies promising net-zero pressure on businesses lution now, if government
They are climate conse- cially difficult question for Obama. emissions or 100% clean en- keeps increasing — not just and industry set their minds
quences that have already the oil and gas industry to John Loehr, managing di- ergy by 2050 includes multi- from government but also to it.
arrived but could be limited, answer. The Paris-based In- rector at consulting firm state giants Dominion Ener- from employees, customers One of the biggest is me-
depending on what govern- ternational Energy Agency AlixPartners, said what gy, Duke Energy and South- and investors. Even insur- thane, an especially power-
ments and businesses do released a groundbreaking happens next is largely up to ern Co., as well as San Diego- ance companies are starting ful planet-warming gas that
next. report this year concluding drivers. based Sempra (the parent to take climate change more comes from pipeline leaks,
“The longer we put our that zeroing out heat-trap- “Whether we hit these company of Southern Cali- seriously. oil and gas extraction, land-
foot on the gas here with ping emissions by mid- targets depends on con- fornia Gas Co. and San Di- Forty percent of the fills and livestock, among
emissions, the higher we’re century means bringing new sumer demand, on what the ego Gas & Electric) and country’s 400 largest compa- other sources. It dissipates
going to push that damage,” fossil fuel exploration to an consumer wants to buy,” he Ohio-based American Elec- nies have made a commit- in the atmosphere more
Cobb said. immediate halt. That’s di- said. tric Power and FirstEnergy ment to go carbon-neutral in quickly than carbon dioxide
The list of companies rectly at odds with the in- But what people want to Corp. the coming decades, said but traps heat more power-
pledging net-zero emissions dustry’s long-standing busi- buy could depend largely on “Electricity is the one sec- Michael Vandenbergh, a law fully in the interim, and it’s a
by 2050 includes major Euro- ness model. how government addresses tor I feel pretty good about,” professor at Vanderbilt Uni- focus of the Intergovern-
pean oil companies BP and “The best way to be net the main concerns with elec- Foley said. “Wind and solar versity who studies how cor- mental Panel on Climate
Shell, as well as American zero in this business is to tric vehicles — namely range are a pretty good way to porations are responding to Change’s latest report.
Airlines, cement maker Ce- shut down,” Foley said. anxiety, lack of familiarity make money.” the climate crisis. “We will land in very dif-
mex and food giant Nestle. A The actual work of slash- and prices, which are falling But many utility compa- “I don’t want to under- ferent places in 2050 depend-
similar pledge is reportedly ing fossil fuel consumption but still higher than for gaso- nies still operate coal-fired play the fact that govern- ing on the near-term reduc-
under consideration at will look a lot different line-powered cars. power plants that are ment really matters,” he tions that occur,” Cobb said.
Exxon Mobil, the Texas- across different sectors of California hopes to offer a among the worst polluters, said. “The way to evaluate “The take-home from the
based oil heavyweight that the economy — none of case study for the rest of the in some cases with plans to private-sector action is not whole report is that the risks
has known since the 1970s which is adding more carbon country, with Gov. Gavin keep operating them for whether it’s a perfect solu- increase with each incre-
about its role in global to the atmosphere than Newsom ordering that all decades. A recent Princeton tion, or will solve the prob- ment of warming. If you
warming but for decades de- transportation, at least in new cars and light trucks University study on options lem, but to ask whether it don’t do that increment of
nied the scientific consen- the United States. sold must be zero-emission for reaching net-zero emis- can fill in the gaps to do what warming, you will have a no-
sus. Carmakers including by 2035. But the state’s re- sions by 2050 found that coal government should be do- ticeable decrease in that
Experts say those kinds Ford and Nissan have trum- bates and other financial in- “all but disappears” by 2030 ing.” risk. That’s really the bottom
of pledges are potentially peted plans to hit net zero by centives for people to buy under every scenario, and Companies in the tech line.”

Climate risks rising, U.N. says To advertise

in this directory, go to
www.latimes.com/placebpsdad,
or call 1.800.528.4637, ext.72769
[Climate, from A1] Each of these cases is most hopeful, the Arctic is creasing its target to be-
history is currently burning, built on the prediction that likely to have all of its sum- tween 50% and 52% by 2030.
offering no reprieve from last the world will hit 1.5 degrees mer sea ice melt at least once Meeting this target
ATTORNEYS MISC.
year’s record-setting fire of warming in the near term, by 2050. would require sweeping
season. An unprecedented before 2040. With the crucial interna- changes in how Americans
drought throughout the Under the most opti- tional climate negotiations power their vehicles, homes
Western U.S. has forced Cali- mistic scenario, immediate coming up this fall, some and factories. The biparti-
fornia regulators to restrict and aggressive emission world leaders said the report san infrastructure bill cur-
how much water farmers cuts would limit climate would cause them to try rently before Congress
can take from the largest riv- change’s effects beyond harder to cut carbon pollu- would be a down payment
ers. And triple-digit temper- 2050. After exceeding 1.5 de- tion. Secretary of State An- toward that effort, but most
atures are expected to roast grees of warming, global tony J. Blinken called it “a of the tens of billions of dol-
Northern California and the temperatures would likely stark reminder.” lars in new spending would
Pacific Northwest later this fall back below this thresh- “It is essential that all go to bridge and road proj-
week. old before the end of the 21st countries — in particular the ects. Though there is fund-
“Nothing about today’s century. major economies — do their ing to help communities
IPCC report should come as But under three other part during this critical dec- adapt to climate change,
a surprise,” a spokesman for scenarios in which emis- ade of the 2020s to put the there’s little money to fight
Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a sions are intermediate, high world on a trajectory to keep it.
statement. “Even for those or very high, climate change a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit on Instead, progressives Helping our Valued
that ignored decades of dire would intensify throughout warming within reach,” and environmental activists Transportation
warnings from climate sci- the remainder of the cen- Blinken said. are hoping the president’s Industry
entists, there is no denying tury, very likely blowing past Alok Sharma, the British more ambitious proposals
what’s right in front of us — a 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 de- government minister who is to curb greenhouse gas
climate crisis.” grees Fahrenheit) of warm- president of the upcoming emissions can be included in +10% Fuel Economy
The window of time left to ing. Global temperatures by climate negotiations in a separate bill that would be + Lower Emissions
prevent even more extreme 2100 could be 2 to 3.5 degrees Scotland, urged leaders to fast-tracked through Con- + Horsepower
outcomes is narrowing, but Celsius hotter than prein- do more so they could “cred- gress via budget reconcilia-
there is still a glimmer of dustrial levels under the in- ibly say that we have kept tion. This process would re- CleanStarProducts.com
hope. termediate scenario. In the [the 2.7-degree limit] alive.” quire the support of every
The 3,000-plus-page worst of all cases, they could Earlier this year, Presi- Democratic lawmaker, a dif-
report from 234 scientists be 3 to 6 degrees Celsius dent Biden announced that ficult proposition when
detailed five possible sce- higher. he would double the United some moderates in the party
narios depending on how Under all of the emissions States’ original commit- represent states heavily de-
quickly nations cut their reduction scenarios studied ment to slashing green- pendent on the oil and gas (323) 209-5359
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A10 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M / O P I N I O N

OPINION

EDITORIALS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ditch library overdue fines

consider doing away with them.
Late fees raise little money for the Here’s evidence that fines, not a selfish
impulse to keep library books, keep people
facilities and discourage the poor from returning their books: A temporary
from borrowing books. 2017 amnesty from fines brought in nearly
700,000 overdue books to San Francisco li-
braries, and restored the right to use the li-

B
efore the library system in St. brary to 5,000 people who had been staying
Paul, Minn., stopped collecting away rather than pay the fees. The lesson:
overdue fines in 2019, it was spend- Eliminating fines is smart policy for library
ing $250,000 a year to recoup budgets as well. Replacing never-returned
$225,000. Library systems in large books is more expensive than anything the
metropolitan areas across the nation have libraries bring in from overdue fines, which
Robert Gauthier Los Angeles Times
been finding that fines don’t provide much generally account for about 1% of a library’s
money — but they do keep low-income budget. SIBLINGS view the Bobcat fire in Monrovia from their backyard in September.
readers from using their local branches. That’s why, if the supervisors do the

‘A code red for humanity’

For that matter, the idea of having to right thing and approve a no-more-fines
face the local librarian with an overdue policy Tuesday, they should include provi-
book is so chilling to many an adult or child sions to prevent the outright loss of books
that the dour “Dragnet”-style “Library and other materials, by ending the borrow-

A
Cop” became a beloved figure on “Seinfeld” ing privileges of scofflaws who take out nu- s if to confirm that this sum- The report, which is the sixth
in 1991. merous books and don’t bring them back. mer’s record-breaking heat assessment from U.N.’s Intergovernmental
It should be a no-brainer for L.A. County It’s time for all library systems to con- waves, flooding and wildfires Panel on Climate Change since 1990, as-
supervisors to eliminate library fines at sider the same practice. The state of Cali- are no freak occurrences, the serts that the consequences of human-
their Tuesday meeting, as a resolution rec- fornia partially funds almost all public li- United Nations released a dire driven climate change are already being felt
ommends. The city of Los Angeles did so braries within its borders and has numer- report Monday concluding that the world at unprecedented levels across the globe.
nearly two years ago, though it’s hard to ous regulations about their practices. Leg- has moved too slowly to stop global And those changes are only going to accel-
know exactly how that panned out because islation could prod libraries to develop warming and the increase in extreme and erate. The report warns of increased fre-
the pandemic made library access prob- some form of fine-free policy and perhaps deadly weather events. “A code red for hu- quency of climate extremes such as heat
lematic for so long. Libraries in San Diego, provide additional funding to help make up manity,” the report says. waves, droughts and heavy precipitation in
San Francisco, Glendale and Burbank have some of the lost revenue. But there’s hope. We can still prevent nearly every inhabited region. Compared
done so as well. Orange County Public Overall, though, both libraries and the the worst devastation with radical action with the panel’s last report, issued in 2014,
Libraries, with branches in most of that public would gain. Libraries would see more to cut carbon emissions over the next dec- extreme weather events are occurring more
county’s cities, haven’t been collecting fines books return, at least eventually. They ade. frequently and are projected to worsen.
since July 2020, though that’s only “until would gain more patrons and more activity, That will take ambitious and committed Human activity has already caused the
further notice.” which would mean more public support. leadership from the U.S. and other indus- planet to warm by 1.1 degrees Celsius, or
Opponents of such forgiveness say that The main beneficiaries, of course, would trialized nations — and a reversal of politi- nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit, since 1850, ac-
overdue books are the result of thoughtless be the rest of us. Libraries have always been cal lethargy that has slowed progress since cording to the report. Experts agree that a
(or absent-minded) users who are keeping a place where people could become as the Paris climate agreement in 2015. As of rise in temperature beyond 2 degrees Cel-
publicly owned books out of the hands of knowledgeable on almost any subject as now, the nations responsible for the most sius would be catastrophic for life on Earth.
other borrowers. If low-income library pa- their own reading ability and ambition can emissions are still not cutting carbon fast If warming is not mitigated before then, sea
trons find the fines untenable, by this rea- take them. In this era of division and disin- enough. One test of that leadership will level rise would displace significant por-
soning, they should get themselves to the formation, libraries are where the public come in November, when world leaders will tions of the population. Extreme heat and
library more regularly. can find quality information as well as com- meet at a United Nations summit in Scot- drought are already on course to threaten
This overlooks some modern-day reali- puter services, entertainment and commu- land to hammer out another round of cli- agricultural production, particularly in
ties: Low-income residents often juggle nity events. mate pledges. western North America, northeastern
multiple jobs or face transportation obsta- A child who loves books stands a much It could be the last chance for world South America, and across Africa.
cles that make it harder to get to the library. better chance of succeeding in school. One leaders to band together to fight climate World leaders have sought to limit the
Once a book is overdue, these residents are study found that children who read for change. The path forward is clear, though temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, to
in a worse position to pay the fine. Studies pleasure, rather than just what they’re as- not easy or cheap: Phase out gas- and avert the worst effects. But progress hasn’t
show that middle-class and working-class signed, show improved mastery of subjects diesel-fueled cars and trucks and acceler- been good. In 2019, recorded atmospheric
people keep their books past the due date that have nothing to do with what they were ate the deployment of zero-emission vehi- concentrations of carbon monoxide were at
at the same rates, but poor people tend to reading. Various studies have shown that cles. Stop building homes and businesses the highest levels in the last 2 million years.
keep theirs for longer, a sign that obstacles children whose parents read to them at powered with natural gas. Stop construc- Unless emissions are significantly reduced
to access and anxiety about meeting the young ages performed better in later years tion of coal-fired power plants across the in the immediate future, an increase of 2 de-
cost of fines are serious issues for them. at vocabulary, spelling and math. globe. Ensure every corner of the world has grees Celsius will occur within this century.
That’s why two years ago the American Library fines are doing neither the pub- access to renewable energy. Cut methane How many more dire warnings will it
Library Assn. officially asserted that “impo- lic nor the public libraries much good. Our emissions from oil wells, landfills and take? How many summers will the world
sition of monetary library fines creates a society shouldn’t allow 25 cents a day to farms. Invest in research to develop tech- watch in horror as forests burn and streets
barrier to the provision of library and infor- stand between families and free access to nologies that can remove carbon from the flood? We are fast approaching our last
mation services” and urged all libraries to books. atmosphere. chance to save the planet from calamity.

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

Re “L.A. County to weigh swifter transition to electric districts should come to

vaccine proof mandate,” vehicles with government agreements to make news-
Aug. 9 action is crucial. papers available to stu-
There are other things, dents, increasing students’
How much more time though, that can work faster knowledge and growing the
will officials waste on “con- to cut emissions; one is market for the free press.
sidering” whether to require putting a hefty price on More than ever, students
proof of vaccination for them. And that solution need access to factual infor-
people entering indoor would cover not only vehicle mation if we are to save this
spaces? emissions, but also emis- democracy. The education
We’ve had months to get sions throughout the econo- establishment has a critical
vaccinated. Put this require- my. That should be the top role to play in this.
ment in effect tomorrow. priority, with additional Patricia Gándara
Cyndi Kitchen policies such as requiring and Gary Orfield
Manhattan Beach more EVs adding heft. Los Angeles
We could eliminate sub- The writers are co-direc-
sidies to fossil fuel compa- tors of the UCLA Civil
Paying the real nies immediately if these
businesses were not paying
Rights Project.

cost of gas cars politicians to do everything ::

but that. Perhaps if certain
Emily Elconin Getty Images
Re “Biden needs to speed representatives put the Respectfully, the govern-
DEMONSTRATORS gather outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on the EVs,” editorial, Aug. 6 general welfare above their ment has zero duty to save
Aug. 6 to protest against mandating the COVID-19 vaccine. own selfish interests and the newspaper industry.
Industrial policy is a supported strong climate While I love the feel of hold-

Surviving a pre-vaccine world fool’s errand. Neither politi-

cians, newspapers nor
China can pick winners and
policies, they would find
that would work better at
keeping them in office than
ing a real paper newspaper
in the morning, saving the
industry is not the govern-
Re “Virus surge hardens lines on vaccination,” Aug. 9 losers in the marketplace. taking dirty money. ment’s responsibility.
Tastes, incomes and pro- Cher Gilmore The industry has become
duction costs determine Newhall too political and has lost

I
am an 80-year-old man who survived the pre-vaccination era of childhood diseases
what gets bought and sold. sight of its responsibilities
the hard way — I suffered through the illnesses.
The environmental costs to inform, not indoctrinate
When I was a young boy, my family’s house had a Los Angeles County “quarantine”
sign affixed to the front door because a child inside (me) had chickenpox and measles
of burning fossil fuels in cars
are real and significant, and
How schools can readers.
David L. McDaniel
simultaneously. Thus weakened, I developed pneumonia and strep throat, and at one
point the doctors told my parents I would be OK if I lived through the night. They were
unaccounted for in car
prices, but the federal gov-
save newspapers Capistrano Beach

“optimistic” because I had been injected with a new drug called penicillin. ernment should not subsi- Re “Why government has a ::
There are adults today who never witnessed such suffering. They, in ignorance, are ex- dize the purchase and oper- duty to save the news indus-
pressing their right to see others suffer or die by going unvaccinated. ation of electric vehicles. try,” Opinion, Aug. 6 It’s all well and good for
Smallpox and polio have been largely eradicated because of vaccination. For my protec- This would be impossibly Congress to take all the
complicated, and requires We read the op-ed by actions mentioned in the
tion, I’ve been inoculated against multiple dangerous diseases, including COVID-19, and I’m
shifting public resources Martha Minnow and New- op-ed article, but the big-
still here thanks to scientists and doctors.
from other purposes. ton Minnow on “why gov- gest problem is getting the
I have no sympathy for adults who refuse vaccination against COVID-19 and then be- Instead, tax internal ernment has a duty to save public to actually read and
come sick. Their decision not to be inoculated, endangering children and others, is abso- combustion engines at a the news industry” with understand intelligent
lutely unforgivable. level that places the esti- nodding agreement. They news.
David Roelen mated cost of the environ- offer many innovative ways Americans have become
Torrance mental damage they do for government to support so addicted to sports, enter-
inside the price of such good journalism, but they tainment, gossip, video
vehicles, and let the auto- overlook low-hanging fruit. games, social media and
I do not understand why Are all these anti-vaccine at basic training we were motive market operate. The Education and journal- texting that they lack the
people like Florida Gov. Ron protesters who value free- vaccinated. electric vehicle market will ism should be natural part- time for and interest in
DeSantis and Texas Gov. dom of choice over their I don’t understand why then thrive. ners to foster democratic reading important, intelli-
Greg Abbott are taking such bodies similarly pro-choice so many refuse to get vacci- James E. Moore II engagement through a gent, unbiased news arti-
a hard line against man- regarding abortion? Can nated. Politics has made Los Angeles culture of newspaper read- cles.
dates when they have been they not see then that they this an issue, and many The writer, an engineer- ing. Colleges, universities Herb Adelman
vaccinated themselves. are being misled by people vaccinated politicians spout ing professor, is director of and even high schools can Del Mar
It is apparent that they like Abbott and DeSantis? whatever they feel is needed USC’s transportation engi- make newspapers available
truly do not care about the Sheryl Kinne to get votes and continue to neering program. and incorporate them into
safety of the people within Lake Balboa hold the American people their courses. HOW TO WRITE TO US
their states and only want to hostage. :: In our own teaching, Please send letters to
keep them riled up and :: It sounds a lot like a up-to-date newspaper [email protected]. For
scared that somehow their ransomware attack. Yes, we must take a “hair accounts have been impor- submission guidelines, see
freedom of choice will be Fifty-two years ago, I was Dean Blau on fire” approach to climate tant resources for our stu- latimes.com/letters or call
taken away. drafted into the Army. While Lake Balboa change, and pushing a dents. Colleges and school 1-800-LA TIMES, ext. 74511.

Executive Chairman Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong

News: Executive Editor Kevin Merida • Managing Editors Shani O. Hilton, Scott Kraft, Kimi Yoshino • Deputy Managing Editors Shelby Grad, Julia Turner • Creative Director Amy King •
Executive Sports Editor Christian Stone • Assistant Managing Editors John Canalis, Angel Jennings, Loree Matsui • Opinion: Editorial Page Editor Sewell Chan • Deputy Editorial Page
Editor Mariel Garza • Op-Ed and Sunday Opinion Editor Terry Tang • Business: President and Chief Operating Officer Chris Argentieri • Chief Human Resources Officer Nancy V. Antoniou
FOUNDED DECEMBER 4, 1881 • Chief of Staff; Head of Strategy and Revenue Anna Magzanyan • Chief Information Officer Ghalib Kassam • General Counsel Jeff Glasser • V.P., Communications Hillary Manning
L AT I M E S . C O M / O P I N I O N T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 A11

OP-ED

For politics,
Biden
sidesteps
his oath
JONAH GOLDBERG

resident Biden has already

P violated his oath of office.

The good news for him: He’s
in fine company.
In 2002, President George
W. Bush signed the McCain-Feingold
campaign finance bill into law. At the
ceremony, he expressed his “con-
cerns” that the law he signed “re-
PIGS HEADED strains the speech of a wide variety of
to slaughter. groups on issues of public import in
California’s the months closest to an election.” He
Proposition 12 added, deflecting from his own re-
requires that sponsibilities, “I expect that the
spaces confining courts will resolve these legitimate
breeding pigs be legal questions as appropriate under
at least 24 the law.”
Robert Gauthier Los Angeles Times square feet. Between 2011 and 2014, President
Obama said, over and over again, that

Pork industry: Stop your squealing

he could not unilaterally overturn or
subvert laws passed by Congress and
change the immigration status of
“Dreamers.” “I’m not a king. I am the
head of the executive branch of gov-
ernment. I’m required to follow the
By Brian Kateman
Producers con prices could spike by as much as
60%.
Farm Bureau Federation had filed a
claim saying the legislation violated
law,” he said in January 2013. A month
later, he reiterated that view: “I’m not
ome in the pork industry are
claim that Economists have estimated that the Commerce Clause, which says the emperor of the United States. My

S warning that California resi-

dents may soon experience a
significant shortage of the
meat — and what will be avail-
able may be priced significantly
higher than it is now. Beginning in
2022, pork producers will have to abide
complying
with a
3-year-old
complying with the new standards
could raise costs to pig farmers by 15%
per animal. That relatively small cost
increase for pork producers now
threatens to hit consumers with a
much more significant price spike.
But rather than preparing to meet
states cannot unduly burden inter-
state commerce. The panel of judges
found, among other things, that the
impact of Proposition 12 was indirect
and did not violate the Commerce
Clause.
As the pork industry appeals to
job is to execute laws that are passed,
and Congress right now has not
changed what I consider to be a bro-
ken immigration system.”
Then, in November 2014, he signed
an executive order doing it anyway.
We can skip President Trump’s
by Proposition 12, a California farm
animal cruelty law passed in 2018 that
law could the new standards three years ago, as
most veal and egg producers did, a vo-
Gov. Gavin Newsom directly, hoping
that he will delay the law from going
track record on violations of the oath
of office, since he was impeached
introduces minimum space require-
ments for veal calves, egg-laying hens
raise cal segment of pork producers
decided that they’d rather drag their
into effect at the start of 2022, it has
wasted three years when it could have
twice.
And now there’s Biden. Last week,
and breeding pigs. bacon feet. prepared to comply with the legisla- his administration issued a “new”
But do the pork industry’s dire pre- Not all pork producers are raising tion. Saying “we need more time” now moratorium on renter evictions,
dictions make sense? prices by objections about this law. Companies is cynical and dishonest, not to men- essentially reissuing the one imposed
To comply with the law, pork pro- such as Niman Ranch, Coleman tion that Newsom doesn’t have legal by the Centers for Disease Control
ducers must ensure that the spaces 60%. Natural and Hormel have publicly authority to delay the law’s implemen- and Prevention in September as a
confining breeding pigs and their off- stated they are ready to provide pork tation. public health measure during the
spring are no less than 24 square feet. for the California marketplace under Nothing about Proposition 12 tar- pandemic. The Supreme Court said
Claims of the sky falling when it comes the new rules. gets pork producers unfairly or dis- in June that the CDC had no author-
to pork production are an attempt by Requiring more space for breeding proportionately. Egg and veal farms ity to issue a nationwide moratorium.
industrial farms to save money by pigs is the least we can do, given the met the January 2020 deadline this But Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh,
keeping pigs in cages so small that the horrific practices of industrialized an- legislation required of their indus- writing for the majority, told the
animals can’t move more than a few imal agriculture. Industrial pork oper- tries, and egg farms are prepared to administration that it could let the
inches, let alone turn around during ations squeeze pigs into extremely meet an additional provision that old moratorium expire on July 31
their entire four-year life. When it was limited spaces that can prevent them goes into effect in 2022. rather than eliminate it immediately,
on the ballot, animal advocacy organi- from simply stretching their limbs. Pork producers can and should since it had only weeks left on the
zation PETA actually opposed the These conditions can cause immense meet their 2022 requirements without clock. If the administration wanted a
proposition for not being severe suffering and physical breakdown of all the squealing. new moratorium after July, he said
enough. the animals’ bodies, increasing the The more this sector disingenu- “clear and specific congressional
Proposition 12 also applies to the risk of illness and disease. ously fights an animal cruelty law authorization (via new legislation)
egg and veal industries. But although Representatives of the pork indus- voted for by people who eat their prod- would be necessary.”
they were initially opposed to the try are defending a practice that vot- uct, the more it shows that the strong- On July 31, the moratorium ex-
proposition, they have complied with ers found indefensible — Californians est reason to leave pork off our plates pired without congressional action.
the law — only the pork sector is fear- overwhelmingly approved Pro- may be the actions of the industry it- On Aug. 2, White House advisor Gene
mongering about a commercial disas- position 12, which earned the support self. Sperling was asked if the adminis-
ter. of nearly two out of every three voters. tration could unilaterally extend the
To be sold in California, products But instead of respecting the people’s Brian Kateman is president and moratorium. His answer was that it
from pig farms must be up to the new decision, the industry has been fight- co-founder of the Reducetarian couldn’t find legal authority to do so.
standards, regardless of where they ing —and losing — in the courts. Foundation, which works to reduce “The bulk of the constitutional
were produced. In July, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of societal consumption of animal scholarship says that it’s not likely to
The industry claims that as a result Appeals upheld a lower-court ruling products. His documentary pass constitutional muster,” Biden
of these requirements the state’s pork in favor of the law. The National Pork “Meat Me Halfway” was released conceded a day later. Yet, he added,
supply could fall dramatically, and ba- Producers Council and the American last month. “at a minimum, by the time it gets
litigated, it will probably give some
additional time while we’re getting
that $45 billion out to people who are,
in fact, behind in the rent and don’t

We blew the climate change dress rehearsal have the money.”

This is no way to run a constitu-
tional republic.
The president takes an oath to
“faithfully execute” the laws and to
NICHOLAS GOLDBERG ed in the observational record.” If people won’t get vaccinated or “preserve, protect, and defend” the

COVID-19 is a night-
That wasn’t the part that bo-
thered me. I expected no less.
The IPCC wear masks, how can they be ex-
pected to transform their lives as
Constitution. Biden, Bush and
Obama, by their own admission,
mare that has left What bothered me was the frus- report climate change requires? Answer: believed their actions ran afoul of the
more than 600,000 trating conclusion that we could still They can’t. law and/or the Constitution. But
people dead in the head off the most devastating climate says we And fighting climate change is politically, it was easier to pass the
United States alone.
But from the very
change effects if we took immediate
concerted action. Sharp cuts in car-
could save even harder than fighting COVID in
this sense: With COVID, there’s no
trash to the Supreme Court so the
court could take the political heat.
start it was also a bon emissions beginning right now ourselves trillion-dollar industry with a vested You can be sure that when the
clear dress rehearsal could make an enormous difference interest in making sure you don’t court invalidates this new moratori-
for the looming global in what lies ahead. if we act believe in it. um, Democrats — and probably some
catastrophe of climate change, which
is barreling toward us and likely to
It’s frustrating because why think
that any such thing will happen? Isn’t
together Unfortunately, neither the capi-
talist system (which too often encour-
Republicans who’ve kept their heads
down in all of this — will feign outrage
wreak more damage than the pan-
demic.
concerted action what Americans
just showed we cannot do — pull
now. ages corporations to maximize prof-
its at society’s expense) nor our
at the court’s “callousness.”
But we should all be outraged by
Early on, it seemed as if COVID together, sacrifice together, expect But didn’t democratic system (which allows the cowardice of elected politicians
might sober us up, and teach us some
useful lessons for that other great and
that Washington will behave ration-
ally or that our leaders will lead? I’m
COVID citizens to toss out politicians who
call for unpleasant efforts) seems
who find their jobs too difficult to do
within the bounds of their oaths.
imminent threat. Perhaps the co-
ronavirus would force us to acknowl-
pleased there’s still hope, but what
indication is there that we will avail
prove particularly well-suited to meet the
climate battle.
And, frankly, we should be out-
raged at ourselves. It’s a rare day that
edge that there really are invisible ourselves of it? we can’t do Here’s what the IPCC report says: fidelity to the Constitution is de-
dangers in the world, and that there In response to the pandemic here Melting ice and rising sea levels are manded by the people or the press
really are experts who know more in the U.S., many millions of people that? accelerating. Extreme weather except when it’s a useful talking point
than we do. Perhaps it would show us behaved responsibly, wore masks, got events are worsening. Even if we cut about a partisan disagreement. When
that if we don’t act to avert crises shots and made sacrifices for more emissions drastically now, some Obama reversed himself on DACA,
sooner rather than later, the prob- than a year. climate changes are “locked-in” and the Washington Post dubbed him a
lems only get worse. But many, many millions of others will be “irreversible” for centuries. In flip-flopper. That’s great, but flip-
Climate activist Bill McKibben responded by denying the facts and about a decade, we’re expected to flopping is faint criticism for a presi-
suggested something along those disbelieving the science. They chose barrel past the limits on warming dent who — by his own standard —
lines. “This might be the moment stubbornness and know-nothingism. that the Paris pact sought to set. had behaved as an “emperor” or
when we decide to fully embrace the They chose shortsightedness. Some The pandemic dress rehearsal “king” outside his constitutional
idea that science, you know, works,” were misinformed; others were in the didn’t go so well. And with each pass- authority.
he wrote back in March 2020. U.N. grip of fantastical conspiracy theo- ing year, each passing presidential The elected branches of govern-
Secretary-General António Guterres ries. administration, each rise in tempera- ment routinely behave like a parent
called COVID-19 a “wake-up call” for Worse yet, many elected officials, ture, each new season of wildfire or who can’t say no and cops out with
climate change. led by then-President Trump, were flood or drought — the problems “Go ask your mother” or “Go ask your
But here in the United States, we willing to politicize the pandemic, ahead become deeper and harder to father” to avoid being the heavy.
did not rise to the occasion. We did spreading bad information or encour- solve. Progressives routinely complain
not wake up. Instead, we bungled aging misbehavior. Some merely kept The lessons of COVID ought to be that the Supreme Court thwarts
much of our response to COVID, quiet, like the New Mexico mayor clear: We cannot dismiss science or popular will — which is why some
making the situation worse than it quoted in The Times on Monday who blithely ignore what we know is com- want to pack the court. Conserva-
had to be. It’s not clear we learned says he no longer urges his constitu- ing at us. We need to work together, tives routinely complain that the
much of anything as a nation. ents to get vaccinated: “You could look out for others and accept that court is too powerful and legislates
I was reminded of that again Mon- lose votes for pushing the vaccine too sacrifices will be necessary, as we from the bench.
day when the United Nations’ Inter- much.” have sometimes done in wartime. I’m with the conservatives on this.
governmental Panel on Climate That kind of gutlessness is why We need leaders — Republicans But the fact remains that politicians
Change issued its most dire report case numbers are going up and new and Democrats alike — who will would rather the justices play the
yet (each has been more dire than the virus variants are threatening to send acknowledge reality and instead of heavy than do the jobs they swore to
last). The IPCC concluded that hu- us all back into hiding. Only about pandering for votes at any cost, press do. Of course, Biden won’t be penal-
mans can no longer reverse some of 58% of vaccine-eligible Americans are us to meet our obligations to the ized, much less impeached, for the
climate change’s effects or stop its fully immunized. world and to each other. The threat to same reason Bush and Obama
intensification over the next three COVID could have been stopped the planet is real, and we won’t be weren’t: No one really cares. While I
decades. Therefore, we should expect much sooner. A minor step like get- saved by self-delusion, conspiracy can live with that, I’d rather live in a
more raging storms, devastating heat ting a shot in the arm — how difficult theories or stubborn, studied igno- country where politicians were truly
waves, harrowing floods, out-of- is that? It’s not an affront to liberty to rance. terrified of violating their oaths.
control fires, severe droughts and ask people to get a lifesaving vaccina-
other “extreme events unprecedent- tion. @Nick_Goldberg @JonahDispatch
A12 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M

PG&E faces rising scrutiny over wildfires

[PG&E, from A1] eight people in 2010, also or-
conditions. PG&E power dered PG&E to provide a list
lines might have been re- by Aug. 16 of all fires its
sponsible for at least three of equipment has started this
those fires, according to season.
documents the utility has The utility has already
filed with state regulators disclosed that its equipment
and a federal court. Legal li- might have ignited a third
ability from the devastation fire: the Bader fire, which
in Paradise and other wild- burned a quarter-acre in
fires pushed PG&E into Magalia on July 14. One stem
bankruptcy and brought of a two-stemmed black oak
vows that the utility would was found leaning on a
fix its power grid. But the power line that had
new fires have brought new snapped, according to court
outrage and demonstrated documents.
that there is still much work And in April, Sonoma
to do. County Dist. Atty. Jill Rav-
The Dixie fire has now itch charged PG&E with five
burned more than 480,000 felony and 28 misdemeanor
acres in four counties, de- counts over its role in the
stroying more than 400 Kincade fire, which badly in-
homes and commercial jured six firefighters in 2019.
buildings PG&E is an investor-
The U.S. Forest Service owned utility that is over-
approved the line burial seen by the California Public
project last July, and the Cal- Utilities Commission. It is
ifornia Department of required to make certain
Transportation granted a disclosures as a result of its
permit in October. criminal probation, as well
But the project remains as a 2018 law passed by the
in progress, with no esti- state Legislature that re-
mated completion date, said quires utilities to submit an-
James Noonan, spokesman nual plans to mitigate the
for PG&E. Josh Edelson AFP/Getty Images risk of wildfire in their serv-
“This project will require GREENVILLE, in Plumas County, burned in the Dixie fire, which may have been caused by PG&E equipment. ice territories and file quar-
CalTrans and other govern- terly updates on their prog-
mental agency permits, PG&E at this time. Lassen ress.
FERC review, and other County Dist. Atty. Susan Ri- PG&E has consistently
land/environmental de- os said she may ask to join failed to meet targets it has
pendencies,” Noonan wrote the investigation later if the committed to in those dis-
in an email (FERC is the county sustains losses at- closures for things like vege-
Federal Energy Regulatory tributable to the fire but tation management and
Commission). “The final noted that there hasn’t been equipment inspections, ad-
completion date for this a damage assessment con- vocates say.
project is dependent upon ducted there yet. “The challenge is that ev-
the timely fulfilment of these “They’re just trying to ery time we see a third-party
various requirements.” save lives and save towns,” inspection report, either
PG&E’s Wildfire Risk said Rios, whose own home from the Public Utilities
Governance Steering Com- remained under an evacua- Commission or the federal
mittee had approved the tion warning Monday. court monitor, we see that
work in January after con- The events come as the over and over again, PG&E
sidering public safety power latest blow to the belea- has failed to trim the vegeta-
shutoff decisions, ingress guered utility, which is also tion in the highest fire risk
and egress issues, and tree- facing a criminal investiga- zones like they were sup-
fall risk along the power line, tion for its role in sparking posed to, that they failed to
which was considered mod- last year’s Zogg fire. That inspect all of their transmis-
erate, Noonan said. fire killed four people, de- sion towers and equipment
“We are taking steps ev- stroyed more than 200 they were supposed to,” said
ery day to improve the safety homes and burned 56,000 Mark Toney, executive di-
and reliability of our electric acres. rector of the Utility Reform
system,” Noonan wrote. In addition, a federal Network, a San Francisco-
“This includes working with judge last week ordered based consumer advocacy
customers and communities Noah Berger Associated Press PG&E to explain its role in group. “It’s very concerning
to manage trees and other THE DIXIE FIRE has “literally torn our county in two,” said Plumas County potentially igniting the Fly that we have so much money
vegetation located near Dist. Atty. David Hollister, who is investigating PG&E’s possible role in the blaze. fire, and to provide more in- being spent and not the kind
power lines that could cause formation about the Dixie of results that people expect
a wildfire or power outage.” corrective action, Noonan Department of Forestry and one count of reckless arson fire, including drone video and deserve.”
On July 13, a Douglas fir said. Fire Protection to conduct in connection with the Camp taken the day it ignited. The California Public Ad-
fell onto the line, and two Nine days after the Dixie the investigation. “We’ve lost fire, which destroyed the A drone seen flying over vocates Office, a consumer
fuses were blown, according fire started, PG&E equip- most of the northern part of town of Paradise. The utility the fire in the hours after it watchdog agency, identified
to documents PG&E filed in ment might have ignited the our county.” received the maximum fine started is rumored to have so many deficiencies in
federal court. In the filings, Fly fire nearly 30 miles to the Investigators have vis- of $3.5 million, which Ram- been operated by PG&E or PG&E’s wildfire mitigation
the utility described a series northeast — disturbances ited the origin sites of both sey called “woefully under- one of its contractors, plan this year that in June it
of mishaps and delays that were recorded on a circuit the Dixie and Fly fires to whelming.” Ramsey said. The sighting submitted a response urging
resulted in an employee not around the same time the gather PG&E equipment “But more important grounded firefighting air- the PUC to issue a finding
reaching the site until about fire broke out, and a tree was and trees that might have was the fact that they were craft for the evening, he that the utility was no longer
10 hours later, by which time later found resting on a con- fallen into the lines for a held responsible for the first said. in good standing for the re-
a 600- to 800-square-foot fire ductor, the utility said in a forensic examination, Ram- time for killing folks,” he “The air assets had it mainder of 2021.
had ignited. report filed with the Califor- sey said. said, noting that PG&E had pretty well blocked in with Two years ago, the Legis-
Before the fire, there were nia Public Utilities Commis- They are examining been previously prosecuted retardant at less than one or lature adopted a bill that in-
no issues with the equip- sion. That fire grew to more whether adequate vegeta- for regulatory violations two acres,” Ramsey said. cludes a provision laying out
ment on the span of line that than 4,300 acres before tion management was done when its equipment caused “The drone showed up, and a six-step process that will
had been identified but not merging with the Dixie fire, there and whether equip- deaths. those air assets had to be result in PG&E being con-
fixed, nor were there trees which on Sunday ment was maintained, as Although no deaths have taken out, and that night it verted from a private corpo-
that had been targeted for leapfrogged the 2018 Mendo- well as the amount of time it yet been reported in the burned through the retard- ration to a quasi-public en-
trimming or removal on cino Complex fire to become took the utility to realize Dixie fire, prosecutors are ant lines. And now we have tity called Golden State
which the work hadn’t yet the second largest in Califor- there was a problem with the exploring other avenues as the monster that we have.” Power if it is unable to meet
been performed, Noonan nia history. line after a disturbance was well, they said, noting that Records show that all the safety standards. PG&E is
said. District attorneys in two recorded, he said. Section 452 of the California drones authorized to fly on currently at step one.
A vegetation manage- counties — Butte and “As we all know, that can- Penal Code sets forth crimes PG&E’s behalf on July 13 in “The higher the PUC
ment inspection took place Plumas — are investigating yon where the Camp fire concerning reckless burn- Butte or Plumas counties moves them up, the greater
Jan. 14 but did not flag the PG&E for potential criminal started is extraordinarily ing. had completed their flights the chance that PG&E will
tree that’s believed to have liability in the fire. dry,” Ramsey said. “We But with the fire just 21% by about 12:30 p.m., Noonan cease to exist as we know it,”
fallen on the line as needing “It’s literally torn our know; they should know.” contained and authorities said. Toney said. “I wouldn’t be
work, he said. county in two,” said Plumas The Dixie fire started in still scrambling to make sure U.S. District Judge surprised to see the PUC
PG&E had also in- County Dist. Atty. David the same canyon, he noted. everyone is safe, it remains William Alsup, who is over- looking at moving PG&E up
spected the two poles be- Hollister, who has partnered Ramsey’s office previ- early in the investigation. seeing the utility’s criminal that ladder, given the more
tween which the tree was with the office of Butte ously secured a deal in which Tehama County Dist. probation stemming from recent events, particularly
found leaning May 13 and County Dist. Atty. Mike PG&E pleaded guilty to 84 Atty. Matthew Rogers said an explosion of one of its Bay after Cal Fire issues its
found nothing that required Ramsey and the California counts of manslaughter and his office is not investigating Area gas lines that killed report.”

Newsom wants voters to ignore ballot’s second question

[Recall, from A1] plans to communicate to som] doesn’t get 50% plus Studies and co-sponsored receive a ballot in the mail, Mark Paul, a former deputy
tivist and state Democratic voters that the two ques- one, then who might we end by The Times found Paffrath an extension of rules set up state treasurer and author
Party delegate. “And the an- tions — whether Newsom up with?” Hanscom asked. to be the choice of just 3% of for the November 2020 elec- of a book on California gov-
swers to both of these ques- should be removed and who Neither Democratic likely voters, tied for fifth tion due to public health ernment reform.
tions are essential.” should take his place in the leaders nor the powerful in- place with reality TV star concerns over in-person vot- “The lieutenant governor
Confusion over the re- event that happens — are terest groups aligned with Caitlyn Jenner. ing during the COVID-19 shall become governor when
call’s rules is understand- distinct from each other and the party have given any di- The presence of Busta- pandemic. a vacancy occurs in the office
able. It’s been almost 18 can both be answered. But rectives about how to ad- mante and others on the bal- Voters can choose to in- of governor,” Paul said, quot-
years since California’s first Newsom’s campaign is dress the ballot’s second lot may help explain why so stead surrender the mailed ing Article 5 of the California
statewide recall election, largely pretending the sec- question. many voters answered both ballot and participate in per- Constitution.
when a majority of voters ond question doesn’t exist. The governor’s powerful recall questions in 2003. Of son at a voting location in The phrase “if appropri-
ousted then-Gov. Gray “Leave it blank,” Nathan allies, however, have publicly the 9.4 million Californians their county Sept. 14 or a few ate” was adopted by voters
Davis and a sizable plurality Click, an advisor to Newsom, and privately discouraged who cast recall ballots that days before. in 1974, drafted by a biparti-
chose Republican Arnold said about the replacement established Democrats from year, only about 755,000 left The monthlong voting san reform commission and
Schwarzenegger as his suc- election. “Voting no on the throwing their hat into the the second part blank. Far process is one of the most removing the 1911 language
cessor from a list of 135 con- recall is the only way to block recall ring. In doing so, they more may do so this time: notable changes from the that explicitly required the
tenders. the Republican power grab said it was important to 40% of all Democrats sur- 2003 recall of Davis, when list of replacement candi-
The intervening years and prevent a Republican avoid a repeat of 2003, when veyed in the Berkeley-Times more than 70% of all ballots dates to appear alongside
have seen a handful of local takeover of California.” then-Lt. Gov. Cruz Busta- poll said they don’t intend to were cast in person on elec- the question of whether to
and legislative recall elec- That message, while sim- mante, a Democrat, urged fill out the second part of the tion day. recall the incumbent. Paul
tions, but the Sept. 14 con- ple, is misleading. Twenty- the party’s voters to reject ballot, possibly leaving Re- The California Constitu- said he believes the current
test will be the first of its kind two of the replacement bal- the recall of Davis but also publicans to dominate in the tion is clear that voters have language is ripe to be chal-
for voters who weren’t lot’s 46 candidates aren’t ran as a replacement candi- race between replacement the right to remove Newsom lenged in court should New-
around in 2003 and haven’t registered with the Republi- date as an electoral insur- candidates. during his term in office, an som lose.
had any experience with the can Party: Nine are Demo- ance policy. With the deadline for can- amendment added by voters For now, Democrats are
two-question ballot. Many of crats, three are affiliated No Democrat listed on didates having passed, the in 1911. Less clear, perhaps, is focused on changing their
those new participants may with a minor party and 10 are this year’s recall ballot has only option for those who whether the recall ballot odds at the ballot.
be perplexed, for example, “no party preference” candi- the electoral gravitas that want another option is a should have two questions. Both Democrats and Re-
as to why they would be al- dates. Bustamante brought to the write-in candidacy. The The Constitution states that publicans have been saying
lowed to choose a new gover- Hanscom, who said she is 2003 race, in which he fin- deadline for that process an election to choose a suc- for some time that the ener-
nor if they voted to keep the disappointed that Newsom ished second to Schwarzen- comes at the end of August, cessor must be held “if ap- gy in this election is with Re-
incumbent. hasn’t done more so far to egger. though millions of ballots propriate,” perhaps ac- publicans, so members of
“I can understand why address climate change, The only Democrat with might already have been knowledging that the recall Newsom’s party have their
people would wonder,” Al- nonetheless plans to vote any measurable name iden- cast by that point. of a member of the Legisla- work cut out for them.
exander said. “It’s a counter- against the recall. On the tification is Kevin Paffrath, a An election with disinter- ture, for example, leaves a “I’ve always known this
intuitive vote.” second question, though, Los Angeles real estate in- ested or dispirited Demo- vacancy that can be filled was going to be close be-
While some voters in Los she is leaning toward a vote vestor and host of a self- crats would be a doomsday only by the voters. cause of the energy on the
Angeles County will begin for criminal defense attor- named YouTube channel scenario for the party. It “But it’s not ‘appropriate’ Republican side,” said for-
receiving ballots this week, ney Dan Kapelovitz, one of who has not held office. would also be a particularly in the case of a governor’s re- mer Los Angeles Mayor An-
most counties will begin dis- the two Green Party candi- But he is also likely to bitter pill to swallow given call, because the Constitu- tonio Villaraigosa, who ran
tribution a week from Mon- dates on the replacement have a limited reach. A re- that every registered and ac- tion already provides a clear unsuccessfully against New-
day. State and local elec- ballot. cent poll by UC Berkeley’s tive voter — more than 22 mandate of how a vacancy som in 2018. “And we’ve got a
tions officials say they have “I’m worried that if [New- Institute of Governmental million Californians — will should be handled,” said lot of work ahead of us.”
 B
D

CALIFORNIA T U E S D A Y , A U G U S T 1 0 , 2 0 2 1 :: L A T I M E S . C O M / C A L I F O R N I A

Off-duty officer
charged in 2019
fatal shooting
at Costco store
ment. “That’s exactly what
State attorney general these charges are about:
pursuing justice after an in-
pursues prosecution dependent and thorough re-
after local grand jury view of the evidence and the
law. Ultimately, any loss of
declined to indict. life is a tragedy and being li-
censed to carry a gun
By James Queally doesn’t mean you’re not ac-
and Richard Winton countable for how you use it.
No matter who you are, no-
The California attorney body is above the law.”
general’s office announced Bail for Sanchez was set
Monday it had filed man- at $155,000, according to Riv-
slaughter and assault erside County jail records. It
charges against a former Los was unclear whether he
Photographs by Gary Coronado Los Angeles Times Angeles police officer who would be freed Monday. He
ROBERT DURST, 78, answers questions from defense attorney Dick DeGuerin, left, Monday at the Ingle- fatally shot a mentally disa- is scheduled to appear in
wood Courthouse. Durst’s often rambling replies prompted objections from Deputy Dist. Atty. John Lewin. bled man during an off-duty court on Wednesday.
confrontation at a Costco The charges reignited a

21 years later, Robert Durst store.

Salvador Sanchez, 32,
was arrested in Riverside
County on suspicion of vol-
untary manslaughter and
case that appeared to be
closed when a Riverside
County grand jury declined
to indict Sanchez a few
months after the killing.

takes stand in murder trial

two counts of assault with a Calling the arrest “a po-
firearm, according to a crim- litical stunt” by Bonta,
inal complaint made public Sanchez’s attorney, David
Monday. Sanchez killed 32- Winslow, on Monday re-
year-old Kenneth French iterated claims he has made
and wounded his elderly since the shooting: that

Real estate scion is accused of killing Susan Berman in 2000 parents during a brief con-
frontation inside a Costco in
French assaulted Sanchez
in an unprovoked attack as
Corona in June 2019. French, the off-duty officer was hold-
who lived with his parents, ing his young son and wait-
By James Queally had the mental capabilities ing in line for free food sam-
of a teenager, according to ples.
Hobbled by old age and cancer, relatives. “Sal Sanchez was holding
Robert Durst began testifying in his “Where there’s reason to his baby when he was vio-
murder trial Monday, completing a believe a crime has been lently attacked and knocked
bizarre, six-year journey from his ar- committed, we will seek jus- to the ground along with his
rest in a New Orleans hotel to the wit- tice,” California Atty. Gen. baby. He was also knocked
ness stand in a Los Angeles court- Rob Bonta said in a state- [See Shooting, B5]
room.
Durst, who is charged in the 2000
killing of Susan Berman in her Bene-
dict Canyon home, has sat impas-
sively in a wheelchair for nearly three
months as L.A. County prosecutors
mounted their case that he shot his
close friend in the head to stop her
State sees sharp
from aiding an investigation into the
1982 disappearance of his wife.
On Monday afternoon, the real es-
tate scion was rolled to an area next to
rise in COVID
the witness stand wearing a brown jail
jumper and a face shield. Court
staffers placed a small desk and a
[See Durst, B5]
JUDGE MARK Windham presides over the trial Monday. DeGuerin
said he expects to be done with his questioning by the end of the week.
hospitalizations
ple will get vaccinated dur-
Southland numbers ing this time of very high
transmission.”
have doubled in two Officials had warned it
weeks to rates not was likely only a matter of

Landlord seen in months.

By Luke Money
time before California’s new-
est wave of coronavirus
cases began to wash over

sues over and Rong-Gong Lin II

COVID-19 hospitali-
hospitals. Throughout the
pandemic, increases in in-
fections have generally trig-
gered corresponding rises in

ban on zations have essentially

doubled across much of Cali-
fornia over the last two
hospitalizations roughly two
weeks later.
Over the last week, Cali-

evictions weeks — a troubling trend

officials say illustrates the
pandemic’s continued po-
fornia has reported an aver-
age of just over 11,000 new co-
rona virus cases per day, ac-
tency amid an ongoing surge cording to data compiled by
in infections. The Times. That’s about
Filing seeks more than Increases of that magni- 90% higher than the average
tude have been seen in Los daily case count being re-
$100 million from L.A. Angeles, San Diego, Orange, corded two weeks ago.
for losses related to Riverside and San Bernar- Over that same time pe-
dino counties, state data riod, the rate of increase in
renter protections. show, straining healthcare hospitalizations has also
systems to an extent not jumped sharply.
By David Zahniser seen in months. Between July 27 and
Those counties — Cali- Thursday, hospitalizations
One of the region’s most fornia’s five most populous in Orange County jumped
prolific apartment builders — both reflect and drive the from 215 to 453 — more than
has sued the city of Los An- Josh Edelson AFP/Getty Images wider trends playing out doubling over the span of
geles over its COVID-19 evic- REGINA RUTLEDGE of Chester, Calif., rests at an evacuation center in Su- across the state. California just nine days.
tion moratorium, saying his sanville last week. She has been living in her truck since fleeing the Dixie fire. as a whole has seen its total The number of COVID-19
companies have experi- number of hospitalized patients rose to 463 on Sat-
enced “astronomical” finan-
cial losses and are legally
entitled to compensation.
GHP Management
Dixie fire nears 500,000 coronavirus-positive
tients swell from 2,981 on
pa-

July 25 to 5,973 as of Sunday.

“The significant increase
urday, the worst such num-
ber since late February, be-
fore falling slightly to 453 on
Sunday.
Corp., owned by real estate
developer Geoffrey Palmer,
said in its lawsuit that 12
buildings it manages have
experienced more than $20
acres; containment far off in hospitalizations is of great
concern,” L.A. County Pub-
lic Health Director Barbara
Ferrer said in a statement.
“With the effectiveness of
In L.A. County, hospitali-
zations have doubled in the
last 15 days, from 745 on July
24 to 1,503 on Sunday, also
the region’s worst number
million in lost rental income the COVID-19 vaccines, we since the waning days of the
as a result of the measure. in California’s recorded his- show little signs of improve- are hopeful that more peo- [See COVID, B2]
GHP, which filed the lawsuit By Hayley Smith tory. ment in coming days.
along with several other The fire grew to 489,287 After more favorable con-
Palmer companies, expects It has been 26 days since acres Monday and was only ditions over the weekend,
that number to triple by the the Dixie fire ignited in the 21% contained, the Califor- temperatures in Northern
time the moratorium’s pro- dense forest of Plumas nia Department of Forestry California near the fire are
visions have expired. County. It has destroyed and Fire Protection said. expected to climb back into Reform groups West Nile found
The city enacted its tem- more than 400 structures The estimated date for con- the high 90s by Wednesday boost Bonta in the Southland
porary eviction restrictions and sent tens of thousands tainment is Aug. 30. and could reach triple digits,
in March 2020 — just as of residents fleeing for safe- “It’s all based on fire the National Weather Serv-
in money race A South Bay resident
was hospitalized last
COVID-19 was triggering ty. weather conditions,” Cal ice said. Attorney general builds month, and mosquitoes
business shutdowns that And officials are warning Fire incident spokesman Last week, gusty red flag war chest for 2022 as he in Fullerton were found
threw people out of work — that it could take several Edwin Zuniga said, noting conditions sent embers from prepares to face rivals to have the virus. B3
barring building owners more weeks to contain the that the heat, dryness and the Dixie fire flying into tin- supported by law
from forcing out tenants monstrous blaze, which is gusty winds that have der-dry terrain, causing the enforcement groups. B2 Lottery ......................... B2
[See Landlord, B4] the second-largest wildfire stoked the fire’s growth [See Dixie, B4]

SPORTS ON THE BACK: Ohtani’s biggest challenger for AL MVP is coming to town. B10
B2 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M

Bonta leads his challengers in money race

ter of a hedge fund billion- Asked about the criti- Hochman’s campaign re-
Attorney general aire. cism, Bonta campaign man- ported large numbers of
The group also received ager Dana Williamson said contributions from real es-
boosted by reform $80,000 from Palo Alto phi- that the attorney general is tate and financial industry
groups gets jump on lanthropist Kaitlyn Krieger, in a strong position with sig- executives as well as attor-
who runs a criminal justice nificant support. neys including former L.A.
rivals for 2022. reform advocacy group with “He has a broad coalition County Dist. Attys. Jackie
her husband, Instagram co- of Democrats and independ- Lacey and Steve Cooley.
By Patrick McGreevy founder Mike Krieger. ents who are backing his In addition, independent
Quillin, Simons and Kait- campaign, while both expenditure campaigns
SACRAMENTO — lyn Krieger each contributed Hochman and Schubert are have been formed recently to
Deep-pocketed backers of the maximum $16,200 al- competing for the same separately support Bonta
criminal justice reform have lowed to Bonta’s campaign. Trump donors and GOP and Schubert.
poured money into the cam- Bonta’s campaign also support,” Williamson said. A committee supporting
paign of progressive Califor- received financial help from Groups that contributed Schubert called Public Safe-
nia Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta the California Defense this year to Schubert’s attor- ty Leaders and Victims has
ahead of next year’s election, Counsel Political Action ney general campaign in- reported just $25,000 so far,
Paul Kitagaki Jr. Pool Photo
helping him build a signifi- Committee. clude the deputy sheriffs’ as- while a group called Com-
cant lead in fundraising over ROB BONTA was sworn in as attorney general in Schubert said voters sociations in Sacramento munities for Justice, whose
a handful of challengers with April and has raised $1.6 million for a reelection bid. should worry that some of and Placer counties and the leaders include Irwin, is sup-
more traditional law-and- the same groups backing San Francisco Police Offi- porting Bonta but has not
order platforms. political science at Cal State lice shootings of unarmed ci- Bonta helped elect county cers Assn. The police group yet reported any contrib-
Bonta’s attorney general Northridge. vilians. prosecutors who she said gave $16,200 to Schubert. utions.
campaign reported raising “It will be an interesting Activists seeking to over- are not prioritizing public In all, Schubert reported Some observers say the
$1.6 million in contributions test of where voters are in haul the criminal justice sys- safety and victims’ rights. money from more than three political climate in Califor-
since he was appointed this California, whether they are tem are looking to build on “They are rogue prose- dozen individual law en- nia appears to be changing,
year by Gov. Gavin Newsom still feeling like we need to in- the success they had in elect- cutors,” Schubert said. “If forcement officers, prose- creating a challenge for the
to become the state’s top vest a lot of resources in po- ing progressive Dist. Atty. you look at what’s going on in cutors and police groups, attorney general.
cop, according to a financial lice reform and oversight George Gascón in Los Ange- Los Angeles and San Fran- but most of the contrib- “Bonta has to tread
disclosure report he filed from the state attorney gen- les County and Dist. Atty. cisco, we are seeing the de- utions were made previously lightly,” said John J. Pitney
Monday. He also has an ad- eral’s office, or whether we’re Chesa Boudin in San Fran- struction of the [criminal to her district attorney cam- Jr., professor of American
ditional $2.2 million in an As- going to go back to the de- cisco, while also protecting justice] system. We need to paign and transferred to her politics at Claremont Mc-
sembly campaign account fault tough-on-crime posi- those gains against petition have a system that is not new state account. Kenna College.
that he can use for the state- tions,” Hogen-Esch said. drives to recall the two simply about weakening the Bonta also received con- “Violent crime is up, so
wide contest, a spokesman Two other Republicans county prosecutors from of- consequences of crime, that tributions from state and public opinion is starting to
said. are also running for attorney fice. holds people accountable.” city attorneys, public em- swing in favor of ‘tough on
At the same time, several general: Eric Early, a Los An- “Progressive prosecutors Bonta, she said, is “cut ployee unions and busi- crime’ policies,” he said.
law enforcement groups are geles attorney who has and attorneys general are from the same fabric” as nesses including several ca- “Progressives are in a tough
lining up to support the raised $235,400, and Steven proving that the best way to Gascón and Boudin. sinos, which are regulated spot.”
campaign of Sacramento Bailey, a retired El Dorado keep communities safe is to Hochman also took aim by his office. The first Fil- He noted that reform
County Dist. Atty. Anne County judge, who brought push for a more equal justice at the incumbent, saying in a ipino American to hold his groups favor an end to the
Marie Schubert, a former in $11,700 during the first half system,” said Anne Irwin, di- statement that “Bonta con- job, Bonta was given a flood death penalty and cash bail,
Republican who is running of the year. Both also ran for rector of Smart Justice Cali- tinues to accept contrib- of campaign checks from the but that voters in recent
as an independent for attor- the office in 2018. In addition, fornia, a group that has pro- utions from the same special Asian American communi- years passed a ballot mea-
ney general. Early ran unsuccessfully last vided contributions sup- interests who gave us failed ty, including a donation from sure to expedite capital pun-
She reported bringing in year against Rep. Adam B. porting Gascón and Boudin, DAs like George Gascón and actor and activist George ishment and rejected a mea-
$998,000 during the first six Schiff (D-Burbank). and now is doing the same Chesa Boudin.” Takei. sure to end cash bail.
months of this year, more Bonta was a Democratic for Bonta.
than a third of it transferred Assembly member before he She said the attorney
from her district attorney became attorney general in general “has long been an
campaign account. April after Xavier Becerra advocate for smart reforms,
Former federal prose-
cutor Nathan J. Hochman, a
Republican, reported rais-
became secretary of Health
and Human Services in the
Biden administration.
which is why we’re so pas-
sionately committed to en-
suring he is elected to a full
Potent Delta variant is seen as
ing $811,900 for his campaign
ahead of the November 2022
election.
In the Legislature, Bonta
was co-author of a bill to de-
certify police officers for mis-
term.”
Irwin’s group is largely fi-
nanced by a group of
cause for hospitalization surge
The showdown over the conduct, was an outspoken wealthy supporters of
future of California’s attor- opponent of the state’s change to the criminal jus- [COVID, from B1]
ney general’s office is hap-
pening at a time when the
death penalty and won pas-
sage of a law to end cash bail
tice system, most with ties to
Silicon Valley.
devastating fall and winter
surge. COVID-19 hospitalization rates
state is experiencing a rise in for many crimes, although Smart Justice California Hospitalizations shot up
Hospitalizations per 100,000 residents
crime, including homicides voters overturned the mea- has received $127,000 this from 239 on July 26 to 484 on
and shootings. sure last year. year from Santa Cruz phi- Sunday in San Diego
Los Angeles County Orange County
The contest is also heat- As attorney general, lanthropist Patty Quillin, County, and have also at
ing up a year after the police Bonta has ushered in the wife of Netflix Chief Exe- least doubled over the last
San Francisco Bay Area
killing in Minneapolis of changes that include the cutive Reed Hastings. The 15 days in Riverside, San
George Floyd, a Black man, creation of a Racial Justice same amount was contrib- Bernardino and Ventura 15
sparked demonstrations for Bureau to target biased po- uted by Liz Simons, head of counties.
criminal justice reform, said licing and has set up a new the reform-oriented Mar- Southern California isn’t
Tom Hogen-Esch, chair of unit to investigate fatal po- shall Project and the daugh- an outlier. Across the nine- 10
county San Francisco Bay
Area, there were a combined
436 COVID-19 patients hos- 5
pitalized on July 22. By Sun-
day, there were 881.
Similarly, in Sacramento 0
County, hospitalizations 20 27 4 11 18 25 1 8
doubled from 148 on July 24 June July August
to 315 on Sunday. In Fresno
County, they doubled from
California Department of Public Health
100 on July 28 to 214 on Sun-
Los Angeles Times
day.
Although the counts
have yet to reach the harrow- sis, 14 counties are reporting nated.
ing levels seen over the fall per capita rates of more than Data continue to show
and winter, the flood of new 20 COVID-19 hospitalized that the vast majority of
COVID-19 patients presents patients for every 100,000 those getting infected by,
just the latest challenge for residents — as bad as the and ultimately hospitalized
the state’s beleaguered rate of hospitalized flu pa- with, COVID-19 are uninocu-
Headlining at the Festival of Books hospitals and healthcare
workers.
tients during the peak of the
flu season.
lated.
For the week of July 31,
In a letter last week, Dr. The hardest-hit counties the average coronavirus
Carl Schultz, emergency are in and around the Cen- case rate among unvacci-
medical services director for tral Valley, including Sacra- nated Californians was 33
the Orange County Health mento, Fresno, San Joaquin, per 100,000 residents per day,
Care Agency, urged the re- Stanislaus, Solano, Placer, nearly five times the compa-
gion’s hospitals to take steps Butte, Kings, Nevada, Yuba, rable rate of vaccinated indi-
to reduce ambulance pa- Tuolumne and Amador viduals.
tient offload times — as well counties, as well as Lake and As of last week, Ferrer
as the number of hours Del Norte counties in North- pegged the risk of being hos-
they’re spending on diver- ern California. pitalized for COVID-19 in
sion, when ambulances are Some experts have said L.A. County as 19 times
redirected to other medical that when COVID-19 hospi- higher among those who are
facilities. talizations exceed 5 hospi- not fully vaccinated than it is
“This is not sustainable,” talizations for every 100,000 for those who are.
John Grisham Ilia Calderón Jasmine Guillory he wrote in the letter residents, that’s a time to And in Orange County,
Wednesday. “We have not consider returning to uni- Supervisor Katrina Foley
“Sooley” “My Time to Speak” “While We Were
witnessed increases in am- versal masking. said Monday that 90% of
Dating” bulance-related numbers of The most populated COVID-19 patients that have
this magnitude since the Southern California coun- been hospitalized have been
worst days of the second ties have more than doubled unvaccinated.
surge in December of 2020 or tripled that threshold, Officials and experts
and January of 2021.” with Ventura County report- have said the latest surge is
Since the letter went out, ing 12 hospitalizations for ev- being fueled by the Delta
there’s already been prog- ery 100,000 residents; Or- variant, which is believed to
ress in terms of reducing di- ange County, 14; Los Angeles be the most transmissible
version hours and patient and San Diego counties, 15; version of the coronavirus
offload times, Schultz said Riverside County, 18; and yet.
during a briefing Monday. San Bernardino County, 19. Scientists have estab-
“We’re still in an area L.A. County was the first lished that people infected
where I’m worried, but we’re county in Southern Califor- with Delta have about 1,000
not in a crisis right now,” he nia this summer to have a times more viral particles in
said. mandatory mask order for their upper respiratory sys-
Madeline Miller Ziggy Marley Marie Lu Throughout California, indoor public areas, regard- tems than people who are in-
“Circe” “My Dog Romeo” “Skyhunter” according to a Times analy- less of vaccination status; fected with earlier corona-
Santa Barbara County is- virus strains.
sued a similar order last Experts say the ultra-
week. San Diego, Orange, contagious nature of Delta
■ More than 75 award-winning authors Riverside, San Bernardino means it can jump from per-
Lottery results and Ventura counties have son to person just four days
■ Interactive workshops and activities Tonight’s Mega Millions not followed suit. after an initial infection, in-
By comparison, the nine- stead of the six days it did
■ Children’s storytime Estimated jackpot: $208 million
Sales close at 7:45 p.m. county San Francisco Bay with previous strains.
■ Spanish-language programming For Monday, Aug. 9, 2021 Area is reporting
COVID-19 hospitalizations
11 All this means Delta can
spread rapidly among the
Fantasy Five: 2-6-9-12-15
■ Music, entertainment and more! per 100,000 residents; while
Sacramento County is re-
uninoculated, even in areas
with high levels of vaccine
Daily Four: 3-4-6-9
porting 21 and Fresno coverage overall.
Daily Three (midday): 6-0-0
Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021 Daily Three (evening): 1-2-9
County, 22. Sacramento
County and all but one
county in the Bay Area have
“Very few of us are going
to get out [of the pandemic]
without either getting
Daily Derby:
Register online for our free virtual event ordered masks to be worn in COVID illness or getting
(6) Whirl Win
(2) Lucky Star indoor public spaces. vaccinated,” said Dr.
SDFestivalOfBooks.com (1) Gold Rush Many health officials
have characterized the ris-
Matthew Zahn, Orange
County’s deputy health offi-
Race time: 1:44.77
ing hospital census as equal cer and a pediatric infec-
sponsors Results on the internet: parts cautionary tale and tious-disease expert.
nonprofit www.latimes.com/lottery clarion call — demonstrative
partner General information: both of the dangers still Times staff writers Karen
(800) 568-8379
(Results not available at this number)
posed by COVID-19 and the Kaplan and Melissa Healy
importance of getting vacci- contributed to this report.
L AT I M E S . C O M T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 B3

CITY & STATE

Tunnel Whale
to U.S. mural in
Laguna
found in Canyon
Mexico is at risk
Unfinished 183-foot By Andrew Turner
shaft has electricity,
ventilation and a rail Competing interests are
causing an uncertain future
system with a cart. for a marine life mural in La-
guna Canyon.
By Wendy Fry For more than 30 years, a
mural of a gray whale emerg-
SAN DIEGO — U.S. ing from the water has
federal authorities are in- greeted those who pass the
vestigating the discovery of property at 2171 Laguna
a sophisticated, 183-foot Canyon Road.
tunnel that originated in- Laguna Beach artist
side a home in Mexicali, Robert Wyland, once a ten-
Mexico, near the interna- ant in that space for his stu-
tional border. dio, painted the piece; then a
The unfinished tunnel 450-square-foot ceramic tile
extended three feet north of version went through the
the international border city’s permitting process in
wall into Calexico in Im- 1995 and was introduced to
perial County but did not the building the next year.
Madeleine Hordinski Los Angeles Times
have an exit on the U.S. side On July 30, members of
of the border, according to LEARNING FROM MOM the Wyland Foundation and
Homeland Security Investi- supporters of Wyland’s work
gations. Laura Pulgarian gives her 6-year-old son, Joaquin Gonzalez, swimming lessons at Mother’s Beach in returned to the premises to
The 3-by-4-foot shaft — Marina del Rey on a warm Monday. High temperatures for the day were in the high 70s along the coast. hold an event to call atten-
ostensibly meant to smuggle tion to an effort to save the
drugs, people or weapons mural, first seen at the prop-
across the U.S.-Mexico bor- erty in February 1987.
der — has electricity, ventila- Steve Creech, president
tion, a rail system with a
cart and an electric hoist. It
is nearly 22 feet below
ground level.
West Nile in L.A., Orange counties of the Wyland Foundation,
said the group of about 20
demonstrators was acting
on an anonymous tip that
“These types of tunnels the mural was going to be de-
enable drug traffickers to The virus led to the molished.
conduct illicit activities The visual of the gray
virtually undetected across hospitalization of a whale breaching the surface
the U.S.-Mexico border,” South Bay resident is considered one in a series
Cardell Morant, special of 100 “whaling walls” around
agent in charge of HSI San late last month. the world created by Wyland
Diego, said in a statement. between 1981 and 2008.
A spokesman for the fed- By Faith E. Pinho “When he started this
eral agency said he could not project, there was nothing
identify which trafficking or- The first West Nile virus like it in the world,” Creech
ganization dug the tunnel. infections of 2021 have been said. “Nobody had done any-
The HSI-led investigation is detected in Los Angeles and thing of that scale, especially
being assisted by the El Cen- Orange counties. devoted to the conservation
tro Sector Border Patrol and An L.A. County resident and protection of marine
the Mexican government. who lives in the South Bay mammals, so this is an in-
Mexican federal author- was hospitalized for a West credibly significant public
ities assisted HSI special Nile virus-induced fever in arts project.”
agents with obtaining ac- late July and is recovering, The ceramic tile mural
cess to the Mexicali home, according to the Los Angeles stands along the south wall
where they discovered the County Department of Pub- of Laguna Classic Cars.
entrance to the tunnel. lic Health. Dornin Investment Group,
Last May, Mexican inves- And last week, the Or- which owns the multi-ten-
tigators seized illegal mari- ange County Mosquito and Rick Bowmer Associated Press ant property, sought to
juana from an unfinished Vector Control District re- THE MOSQUITO-BORNE virus typically spreads to humans, horses and birds, make improvements to the
tunnel discovered inside a ported that a batch of mos- the California Department of Public Health says. There is no vaccine for it. space and received design
Tijuana home across the quitoes in Fullerton tested review board approval in
border from Otay Mesa in positive for the virus, but no first death of the disease in much higher because most Grove, Orange, Santa Ana, February 2020.
San Diego — a preferred human cases of the virus California this year. So far, infected people do not expe- Tustin and Huntington Included in those im-
spot for tunneling because of have been reported in Or- the state has tracked cases rience any symptoms. Beach, Hyland added. Or- provements was a plan to re-
the soil consistency and abil- ange County, spokesperson in eight humans, one horse, Last year, there were sev- ange County residents can place the mural with a direc-
ity to blend in with the busy Heather Hyland said. 10 sentinel chickens, 109 en deaths attributed to West sign up to receive alerts tory sign that could display
warehouse district’s traffic. “You never know which dead birds and 770 mosquito Nile in L.A. County (exclud- about infections on the dis- the names of tenants of the
The tunnel was being mosquito has it, so that’s samples. ing Long Beach and Pasa- trict’s website. building.
constructed no more than 50 why we’re stressing to peo- The San Gabriel Valley dena, which have their own There is no treatment or “We’d like to use that bill-
feet from a National Guard ple to wear [protective Mosquito and Vector Con- health departments) and vaccine for West Nile virus. board sign for something
base that opened last year, gear],” Hyland said. trol District has found 78 one in Orange County. Public health officials rec- other than a tenant that
meant to increase security The mosquito-borne West Nile virus-positive Hyland said the numbers ommend people protect does not occupy space there
and combat drug trafficking virus typically spreads to hu- mosquito samples this year in Orange County are down themselves from mosquito anymore,” said Chris
in Tijuana. mans, horses and birds, ac- in various cities, including 18 this year. In 2020, the district bites by using insect repel- Dornin, chief executive of
cording to the California De- in Covina and 16 in West Co- recorded 19 human infec- lent or lemon eucalyptus oil, Dornin Investment Group.
Fry writes for the San Diego partment of Public Health. vina. tions, she said, but there wearing long pants and Dornin disputed the no-
Union-Tribune. It is common in California “Keeping our neighbor- have been none in 2021. Last long-sleeved shirts when tion that there was a plan in
particularly in summer and hoods safe from West Nile year, the Mosquito and Vec- outdoors — particularly in place to demolish the mural,
early fall, when mosquitoes virus is a shared responsibil- tor Control District re- places with lots of mosqui- but he added that Wyland
are most prevalent. Most ity,” Aaron Arugay, execu- ported 329 mosquito sam- toes — using screens on win- has had ample opportunity
people who become infected tive director of the Los Ange- ples among the thousands dows and doors and to come and reclaim it.

Woman don’t experience symptoms,

according to the Centers for
Disease Control and
les County West Vector Con-
trol District, said in a state-
ment. “Residents can
that were tested, but this
year, only two samples have
been found to date, both in
cleaning out any standing
water where mosquitoes like
to congregate, such as bird
He said communications
were exchanged between the
parties as early as two years

drives off Prevention, but about 1 in 5

develop a fever and a head-
ache, body aches, joint
pains, vomiting, diarrhea or
reduce the risk of mosquito
bites by eliminating stand-
ing water in their yards and
using EPA-registered repel-
Fullerton.
“This is kind of new for us
to see it late in the year,
which is good because we
baths, buckets, planters,
saucers and other contain-
ers.
“Mosquitoes bite during
ago.
Wyland has concerns
that the mural would not
survive if it was to be relo-

cliff and rash.

West Nile virus results in
serious illness in about 1 in
lents when mosquito activ-
ity is observed.”
In the last five years, Los
don’t want West Nile virus
popping around,” she said.
About 94% of all West Nile
the day and night,” Muntu
Davis, Los Angeles County’s
health officer, said in a state-
cated. “Thousands, if not
millions, of people have en-
joyed that mural for over 30

survives 150 people, the CDC said.

Last month, someone
died from West Nile virus in
Angeles County has re-
ported an average of 118
cases per year, but officials
cases in Orange County
come from the cities of Ful-
lerton, La Habra, Buena
ment, noting that “peak
mosquito season” lasts from
June to November in L.A.
years,” Wyland said in a
statement.
“Someone that buys a
San Luis Obispo County, the estimate the real number is Park, Anaheim, Garden County. building shouldn’t be al-
lowed to simply destroy art
that has become part of the
By Robin Estrin community. We think that’s
something worth fighting

DNA helps find killer, police say

A woman accidentally for. It’s why there are now
launched her sedan over a laws to protect public art.
30-foot cliff in Santa Cruz on “The mural has become
Saturday night but survived too fragile to remove with-
after the car landed on a out suffering irreparable
ledge. the head and left for dead, has passed away, but he no to identify a suspect. damage. We think it needs to
“Luckily, we didn’t have Irvine woman was The Times reported in longer gets to hold the secret Green Laboratories was stay right where it is, where
to do a recovery from the 1980. of his deeds. Through in- able to extract an expanded it can inspire people and
ocean,” said Kelvin Ramer, shot in 1980. Hairs Some credit cards, a credible advances in tech- DNA profile from the re- share the city’s commitment
owner of Auto Care Towing, of suspect are linked checkbook and cash pointed nology and the tireless dedi- maining hair shafts that, to art and our environment.”
who was called to the scene to robbery as a possible mo- cation of these investigators, with the help of genetic ge- Dornin said that in addi-
just before midnight. to now-deceased man. tive in her killing. But even we now have some closure nealogist CeCe Moore, were tion to offering for Wyland to
The woman suffered a after working through the for all who knew and loved used to identify Marks as come and take back the mu-
“very minor” injury to her By Sara Cardine Thanksgiving holiday, New- Judy Nesbitt.” Nesbitt’s killer, police said. ral, offers have also been
foot. port Beach police could not Police said hairs from an Authorities said the case made to donate it to art col-
According to police, the On the afternoon of Nov. obtain a clear lead on a sus- unknown suspect were kept is the first in the nation in leges, and that there have
woman was “spooked” when 26, 1980 — the day before pect. The case would grow in evidence until 2002, when which DNA extraction was also been discussions about
a man opened her car door, Thanksgiving — Irvine resi- cold over the next four dec- a limited DNA profile was used to identify a killer in a donating the work to a cou-
believing it was his family’s dent Judy Nesbitt left for ades. extracted from their roots criminal investigation. Po- ple of municipalities.
vehicle. Marina Dunes Yacht An- That changed Monday and entered into the FBI’s lice were not immediately “There are municipal-
She accelerated up the chorage to show the family’s when Newport Beach police Combined DNA Index Sys- available to provide further ities that would be happy to
curb, crashed through a listed 35-foot cabin cruiser officials announced that tem, a database that cata- information on the case. take it and put it up in public
metal fence and flew over the to a potential buyer. with the help of DNA extrac- logs genetic information for An obituary in Texas’ spaces,” Dornin said. “Wy
cliff. The appointment had tion and some genetic gene- use by law enforcement Fort Worth Star-Telegram land’s got his own proper-
Her sedan plummeted been set for 1 p.m., but hours alogy, authorities had finally agencies. showed that Marks, 44, died ties. He should go put it up
just 10 feet before landing on later, Nesbitt still hadn’t re- identified the killer: Ken- For 16 years, the DNA of cancer at his home in Cali- on his own property, pull a
a cliff-side ledge, Police Chief turned home. Her husband, neth Elwin Marks, who died profile sat in the system, un- fornia on April 30, 1999. The billboard sign permit for his
Andy Mills said. Fred, traveled to the marina, in 1999. matched with any other notice was published with a own property [and] put it up
Ramer said vehicle res- found the slip where the “This is a case that has sample, while Newport Santa Ana dateline and said there.”
cues from cliffs in Santa boat, Felicidad IV, was tied hung heavy in the hearts of Beach police continued to Marks was to be buried at The Wyland Foundation
Cruz were fairly common. up and descended into the our community, our depart- puzzle over the owner of the Thomas Cemetery in focuses on the issues of clean
Ramer’s company has re- cabin. ment and the Nesbitt fam- hairs, the statement said. Bridgeport, Texas. water and a healthy ocean.
sponded to three or four inci- There, he found the body ily,” Newport Beach Police Then, in 2018, a technological
dents in the county this of his wife. The mother of Chief Jon T. Lewis said in a advance provided investiga- Cardine writes for Times Turner writes for Times
year. four had been shot once in statement. “Kenneth Marks tors the break they needed Community News. Community News.
B4 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M

Landlord suing L.A. over eviction freeze

[Landlord, from B1] siphoning money from basic
who could not pay rent be- city services and throwing
cause of hardships caused into question efforts to keep
by the pandemic. COVID-19 and homelessness
Palmer’s companies al- under control.
lege that the moratorium — “This is both an econo-
first put in place by Mayor mic and a health issue to en-
Eric Garcetti as an emer- sure that people can main-
gency order, then approved tain the roofs over their
as an ordinance by the City heads right now,” he said.
Council — violated the Attorneys for Palmer’s
“takings clause” established companies did not respond
in the 5th Amendment, to The Times’ inquiries. In
which says that private their lawsuit against the city,
property shall not be taken they said the eviction mora-
for public use without “just torium had led to rent losses
compensation.” of more than $2.7 million at
Palmer’s companies said Palmer’s Medici project in
they are entitled to more downtown L.A.; nearly
than $100 million. $2.8 million at the Da Vinci, a
“While the eviction mora- 526-unit complex along the
torium ostensibly protects 101/110 Freeway interchange;
tenants who are unable to and nearly $3.9 million at
pay rent due to circum- Summit at Warner Center,
stances related to the an apartment property in
COVID-19 pandemic, it arbi- Woodland Hills.
trarily shifts the financial Because of the city’s ordi-
burden onto property own- nance, lenders have refused
ers, many of whom were al- to refinance loans on prop-
ready suffering financial erties managed by GHP,
hardship as a result of the causing additional econo-
pandemic and have no mic harm, the lawsuit said.
equivalent remedy at law,” Palmer’s companies also
said the lawsuit, which was contend that they will have
filed last week. little success in recouping
GHP Management is a losses from their tenants af-
property management ter the one-year grace period
subsidiary of G.H. Palmer Luis Sinco Los Angeles Times that follows the end of the
Associates, which owns THE ORSINI , left, is one L.A. property developed by companies owned by Geoffrey Palmer. He is suing the city’s COVID-19 emergency.
more than 15,000 apart- city for $100 million and the county and state for $50 million, citing losses due to anti-eviction measures. “The city orchestrated a
ments in Southern Califor- regulatory regime designed
nia, according to the compa- GHP has filed a second that their income qualifies Rosenthal and other or- to the Republican Party and to provide a compulsory and
nies’ websites. Palmer, lawsuit over anti-eviction them for relief, according to ganizers for renters’ rights a player in local, state and de facto rent forgiveness to
owner of G.H. Palmer Asso- measures enacted by Los the state’s website. have argued that the city’s national politics. So far this be foisted on landlords
ciates, is known for devel- Angeles County and the Tracy Jeanne Rosenthal, law was not a true moratori- year, he has put at least throughout the city,” the
oping apartment blocks in state of California. That case a member of the Los Angeles um, since it did not prohibit $200,000 into the recall com- lawsuit states.
and around downtown Los seeks $50 million and deals Tenants Union, said the building owners from filing mittee targeting Newsom Palmer has tangled with
Angeles with Mediterranean with apartment buildings in state program ensures that eviction cases in court. In and at least $110,000 into the the city before, persuading a
features and Italian names: Santa Clarita. Palmer will “receive every many cases, she said, ten- effort to recall Los Angeles three-judge panel in 2009 to
Medici, Lorenzo, Orsini. The legal filings come less dollar that he is owed.” Still, ants simply moved out of County Dist. Atty. George strike down rules requiring
Asked about the filing, than two months after Gov. she does not believe he is en- fear instead of fighting those Gascón, according to state developers near downtown
City Atty. Mike Feuer de- Gavin Newsom extended titled to that money. cases, or lost in court after records. to provide a specific percent-
fended the moratorium, say- the state’s eviction morato- “I am not at all convinced failing to make a defense. Palmer hosted a fund- age of affordable housing in
ing his office wrote a “lawful rium to Sept. 30, offering to that his right to profit by In February, city housing raiser for President Trump their residential projects.
ordinance” that has kept cover 100% of back rent and means of passive income officials reported that they in 2019 and was identified a The decision dealt a major
tenants from becoming utilities owed by many low- should take precedence over had distributed more than year later as one of Trump’s setback to the city’s afford-
homeless during the pan- income residents whose fi- the very lives of tenants in $98 million in subsidies to top donors in California. able housing efforts, said
demic. nances were hurt by the Los Angeles whose incomes those affected by the pan- Larry Gross, executive Gross, the tenant rights ad-
“We defeated a previous COVID-19 pandemic. Both were severed by the pan- demic in 2020. Of that total, director of the tenant rights vocate.
attack on these crucial pro- renters and landlords may demic and by public health 56% was paid to landlords, group Coalition for Econo- “His hands are not clean
tections and will vigorously apply. Landlords seeking aid orders that directed them to and 44% went directly to mic Survival, said Palmer’s in regards to the housing cri-
defend the ordinance must provide information isolate and quarantine,” tenants. lawsuit, if successful, would sis we are now facing,” he
again,” he said. from their tenants showing Rosenthal said. Palmer is a major donor “wreak havoc” on the city, added.

Dixie nears half

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numbers to plummet from portions of the Janesville
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PERSON: More than 16,000 struc- The Dixie fire is one of 11
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6248 (Ms. Chan), Email: Gavin Newsom said it took day, the U.S. Forest Service
charmion.c.w.chan@
hsbcpb.com. only about 90 minutes for said.
Matters to be discussed. the conflagration to rip Evacuation orders for
Published in the Los through the community of that fire have been issued in
Angeles Times Greenville, reducing most of portions of Junction City,
the small town to ash and Red Hill, Canyon Creek,
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By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek swapped out for new ones. merged with the smaller Fly
Unscramble these Jumbles, And although the thick fire in July, remains unlike
one letter to each square, layer of smoke hovering over anything officials have seen.
Get the free JUST JUMBLE app • Follow us on Twitter @PlayJumble

to form four ordinary words. the fire is expected to dissi- “Sometimes it can be
pate Monday, McKeague mentally draining, because
TYNER said clearer skies actually you’re out there for so long
expose the fire to more dan- and it just becomes like
gerous heat from the sun, Groundhog Day,” said Zu-
which could lead to in- niga, who also helped battle
DBEIA creased fire activity. the 2018 Mendocino Com-
“It was actually helpful,” plex fire, which had been the
he said of the thick smoke. state’s second-largest fire
“It sort of held a cap that until the Dixie fire claimed
NSOLOE blocked some of the sun- the title.
light.” With several more weeks
If the fire activity flares of firefighting likely to come,
up as expected Monday, he Zuniga said, the priority on
RICBEK said, crews could see 200-
foot flame lengths that force
the Dixie fire remains de-
fending lives and homes.
them to retreat. And the “We are focused on pro-
Now arrange the circled letters
©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC to form the surprise answer, as
warming trend expected lat- tecting every community
All Rights Reserved. suggested by the above cartoon. er in the week will add to that is being affected, or has
challenging conditions, he the potential to be affected,
Print answer here: said. by the fire,” he said. “Our
Evacuation orders and main goal at this point is to
(Answers tomorrow)
warnings spurred by the not let another Greenville
Jumbles: LIMIT TREND FOSSIL BEAUTY
Yesterday’s
Answer: They were successful at marketing their
Dixie fire remained in effect happen.”
lemonade because they didn’t — STAND STILL
L AT I M E S . C O M T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 B5

Charges JANE WITHERS, 1926 - 2021

filed in Child star cast as talkative mischief-maker

Costco praised her professionalism.

shooting
associated press
When she won her first
starring role, he sent her two
ane Withers, the former large bouquets and a note

[Shooting, from B1]

unconscious momentarily.
At the time of the incident,
he believed he was protect-
J child actor who bedev-
iled Shirley Temple on
the screen and went on
to star in a series of B movies
that made her a box-office
saying, “I know you’re going
to knock them dead in ‘Gin-
ger’ and you’re going to have
a fantastic career.”
Her popularity led to
ing himself and his baby champion, has died, her Jane Withers dolls and other
from being killed. The Riv- daughter said. She was 95. merchandise. At her peak,
erside grand jury heard all Withers, also known as she was earning $2,500 a
the evidence in this matter “Josephine the Plumber” week and $50,000 a year in
and concluded there was no from TV commercials in the endorsements. Unlike other
basis for any criminal is- 1960s and ’70s, died Sat- child stars, her earnings did
sues,” Winslow said. urday, her daughter Kendall not disappear.
After the shooting, Errair said. Withers was one She explained in 1974:
Sanchez told Corona police of the last remaining stars “Fortunately, my dad had a
and LAPD investigators from the 1930s and 1940s, the great love of California land.
that when he fell he thought height of Hollywood studio He kind of dibble-dabbled in
he had been shot and be- dominance. real estate in a marvelous
lieved he saw French still After a series of minor way.”
pointing a gun at him and roles as a child actress, With- During her childhood she
his son. He pulled out his ers was cast by Twentieth started collecting dolls and
own gun and fired twice. Century-Fox in the 1934 teddy bears, and she contin-
French collapsed but still “Bright Eyes,” as the neme- ued throughout her lifetime.
had a “concentrated, in- sis of lovable Temple, then Dan Steinberg Associated Press In 1988 she reported that she
tense look in his eyes, still Hollywood’s most popular LONGEVITY owned 12,000 dolls and 2,500
looking at me and my son,” star. Jane Withers, shown in 2010, played in a series of B movies that made her a star teddy bears that were boxed
Sanchez told investigators. “I had to play the mean- and rich. She was known by later generations as “Josephine the Plumber.” and crated in a 27,000-
“I remember we were est, creepiest little girl that square-foot warehouse.
face-to-face and his arm was God ever put on this planet,” Withers’ film appear-
still extended out, and I be- Withers recalled in 2000. “I black hair that contrasted Hollywood. Broadway offers she was get- ances as an adult were spo-
lieve he still had that same ran over Shirley with a tricy- with Shirley’s blond curly “I wasn’t allowed to shoot ting, the job didn’t interfere radic, partly because of
gun, and I fired twice more in cle, and a baby buggy. And I top. in Westwood until Shirley with her home life in Holly- three marriages and five
his direction at him,” thought, ‘Oh dear, every- For four years, Fox left the studio,” she said. wood. children. Her most notable
Sanchez said. body’s going to hate me for- ground out three or four Withers proved less of a She said in a later Times credits were “Giant” (1956)
Sanchez said he did not ever because I was so creepy Withers films annually at draw as a teenager, and her interview that she felt the and “Captain Newman,
see French’s parents as he mean to Shirley Temple!’ ” budgets far lower than the career dwindled. original Josephine charac- M.D.” (1963).
continued firing, sending off It didn’t turn out that Temple specials. Among the As an adult she appeared ter was “too smart-alecky, In 1947, Withers left Holly-
a total of 10 rounds into the way. Critics claimed that she titles: “Ginger,” “Paddy in a few films and on televi- too brash,” but she thought wood to live with her first
store full of shoppers. He has stole the picture from O’Day,” “Little Miss No- sion. “any lady who was going to husband, producer-oilman
also said he was unaware Shirley. Children wrote fan body,” “Wild and Woolly” Her biggest prominence become a plumber” would William Moss, in Midland,
of French’s mental disabili- letters admiring what she and “Arizona Wildcat.” came from portraying “Jo- take pride in her work and Texas. The marriage pro-
ties at the time of the shoot- did to Shirley “because she’s Even though B pictures sephine” in TV commercials care about her customers. duced three children and
ing. so perfect.” were aimed for the bottom for Comet cleanser for 12 Fame started early for ended after seven years.
Although Sanchez and Fox boss Darryl F. half of double bills, a theater years. Jane Withers. Born April 12, She returned to Holly-
his attorney have painted Zanuck figured there was owners poll named Withers “Oh, the money is nice, all 1926, in Atlanta, she had ap- wood and was paralyzed
the encounter as a life-or- room for another child ac- one of the top money-mak- right,” she told the Los An- peared as Dixie’s Dainty with arthritis. She recovered
death struggle, police docu- tress at the studio, and she ing stars in 1936 and 1937. geles Times in 1963. “I got five Dewdrop on local radio by after spending five months
ments made public in 2019 was signed to a contract. Although the Temple figures for eight of those the age of 3. in a hospital.
showed the officer was at She played the anti-Shirley, films were made on Fox’s commercials, and I’m doing Her mother had greater She had two more chil-
least 20 feet from French and a bright, talky, mischief- modern Westwood lot, With- four more.” ambitions, and she per- dren with second husband
his parents when he opened prone girl with wide eyes, ers made hers at the old stu- The main advantage, she suaded her husband to move Kenneth Errair, one of the
fire. Police officials have also chubby cheeks and straight dio on Sunset Boulevard in said, was that unlike the the family to Hollywood. Four Freshmen singing
said less than four seconds Jane played bit roles in group, who died in 1968. In
elapsed between French movies and supplied voices 1985 she married Thomas
striking the officer and the for the Willie Whopper and Pierson, a travel agency exe-
eruption of gunfire. Looney Tunes cartoons. cutive.

21 years later, Robert Durst

The incident was cap- Her experience with W.C. An interviewer in 1974
tured on surveillance cam- Fields in “It’s a Gift” (1934) asked Withers how she man-
eras, although footage made belies the legend — encour- aged to escape the troubles
public by Riverside County aged by Fields himself — that plagued many child
Dist. Atty. Mike Hestrin in
2019 was grainy and offered
little clarity on the case.
Last year, LAPD Chief
takes stand in murder trial that the comedian hated
children. Fields chose her for
a scene in which she played
hopscotch in front of his
stars in adulthood. A lifelong
Presbyterian, she com-
mented: “I always took my
troubles to the good Lord,
Michel Moore and the city’s store, frustrating his exit. He and I never failed to get an
civilian Police Commission [Durst, from B1] has relied on a catheter for crucial witnesses to testify in coached her and afterward answer.”
ruled Sanchez’s actions microphone next to him. much of the trial and was 2017, archiving their
were out of policy and were The 78-year-old stretched briefly hospitalized in June. testimony for fear they
weighing whether he should his arms overhead as he Lewin noted in court on might die before the case
be fired. waited for the jury to return Monday that Durst’s ill- went to trial. After opening
“The decisions and ac- to the courtroom. nesses did not seem to be in- arguments finally began in OBITUARY NOTICES
tions of this officer cannot be Speaking in a hoarse hibiting his ability to testify, March 2020, the trial was
justified and are inconsis- whisper, Durst gave his saying the defendant had again delayed by the Place a paid notice latimes.com/placeobituary
tent with the department’s name before his lead attor- “complete command” and COVID-19 pandemic. Search obituary notice archives: legacy.com/obituaries/latimes
core values, training and ex- ney, Dick DeGuerin, sat at recall of the decades-old ex- Durst’s defense began
pectations of every member his side. periences he was relaying to presenting its case last
of this organization,” Moore “Bob, did you kill Susan the jury. Tuesday afternoon. During
said last year. Berman?” DeGuerin asked. Durst’s past willingness his opening statement in GORODKIN, Mikhail
Sanchez was fired in July “No,” Durst replied. to talk about the suspicions May, DeGuerin told the jury Mount Sinai Memorial Parks -
2020, an LAPD spokesman “Do you know who did?” and accusations that have that prosecutors lack phys- Hollywood Hills 800-600-0076
www.mountsinaiparks.org
said Monday. “No, I do not.” hounded him for decades ical evidence tying Durst to
Russel and Paola French, During his first hour on has been, at times, both a lia- the crime scene and urged
who both suffered serious in- the stand, Durst went on to bility and an asset for him. the panelists to tune out tes-
juries as a result of gunshot recount his childhood, in- In 2003, Durst took the timony related to his wife’s
wounds, filed suit against cluding his mother’s death stand while on trial in Texas disappearance or Black’s
the city of Los Angeles and at the family estate when he charged with murder in the death.
Sanchez in 2019. was 7 years old and the fact death of Morris Black, a “The only case before you
PIO, Richard Lowell
Under a state law that that he blamed his father for neighbor whose body had to determine a verdict is the
March 1, 1928 - August 3, 2021
went into effect July 1, the at- her passing. been found carved up in murder of Susan Berman.
Richard Lowell Pio, 93, died
torney general’s office is re- “I did not see whether she Galveston Bay two years The evidence is lacking. The comfortably at home due to
quired to investigate all fatal jumped or fell ... I saw her on earlier. evidence isn’t there,” complications from kidney failure
LIPSON, Lillian Fay
police shootings of unarmed the roof. I waved at Mommy He parried with the pros- DeGuerin said at the time. and dementia. He was in the care of
Sarasota FL - Lillian Fay Lipson, hospice, surrounded by his wife of 70
civilians in California. While on the roof,” he said. “Then, I ecutor, claiming he had shot “Bob Durst did not kill Su- former resident of Granada Hills and
Bonta launched a team to do was walked to my bedroom Black in self-defense and san Berman, and he doesn’t years, Lois, and their 4 sons, David,
Studio City, Cailf., died peacefully from Mark, Jeffrey, and Roger.
so last month, he said his de- and shortly thereafter, I then cut up his body while in know who did.” cancer at her Sarasota, Florida, home Dick was born in Toledo, Ohio,
cision to charge Sanchez heard my father yell.” a traumatized state. The only other witness with her husband, retired Los Angeles graduating from Toledo University
stemmed from powers Durst’s often rambling Durst, who had fled from expected to take the stand Daily News restaurant critic and wine with a bachelors degree in engineering
writer Larry Lipson, at her bedside on physics. He served in the US Army
granted by California’s Con- answers prompted repeated New York to Texas in large on Durst’s behalf, Dr. Eliza- July 1, 2021.
stitution, which allow him to objections from Deputy part to escape media scru- beth Loftus, spent most of in South Korea. He married the love
of his life, Lois, in 1950 and they
pursue a case when the law is Dist. Atty. John Lewin, who tiny following Berman’s Wednesday and Thursday Born February 2, 1941, in the Bronx, then moved to Southern California
“not being adequately en- questioned the relevance of killing, was acquitted. under blistering cross-ex- New York, to Aaron and Frieda Forman, where he was employed by Hughes
forced in any county.” Durst’s childhood to the tri- But Durst’s decision to amination from Lewin. Lof- she later moved to Los Angeles with Aircraft and completed his Masters
her mother after her father died when degree in engineering from UCLA.
Early Monday, Hestrin, al. participate in “The Jinx,” an tus — a so-called false mem- she was 13 years old. Her mother, a
the Riverside district attor- Durst also spoke of the HBO documentary series ory expert who has testified While employed by Hughes, Dick
film editor, in later years, married Los developed the “Piogram”, a symbolic
ney, said he was obligated first night he met the woman about the disappearances in more than 300 criminal Angeles businessman Henry Davis. representation of the coordinate
not to prosecute Sanchez in he is accused of murdering. and homicides that have cases on behalf of defend- transformation for a rotation of axes,
2019 after the grand jury de- While a student at UCLA in shadowed his life, reinvigo- ants including O.J. Simpson Lillian, a onetime model, married still utilized worldwide today.
Larry in 1962, was a 49 year-mother Known for his calm demeanor, Dick
clined to indict him. The at- the late 1960s, he rented a rated interest in Berman’s and Harvey Weinstein — has of two sons, Jeffrey and Matthew,
torney general’s office room at a fraternity house case and played a large role largely explained to jurors was inventive, clever, humorous, witty,
when she decided to go back to school well read, charming and respected
launched an independent one summer with two in the decision to finally how memories can be cor- following a varied job career as a bank by all. He was always quick with an
review of the case shortly af- friends and testified he had charge him with her murder. rupted over time. office, wine salesperson, real estate appropriate quip that revealed his
ter Riverside officials con- hopes of “trying to pick up In the closing moments “Our memories are mal- manager, even a nanny. She graduated exquisite command of the English
cluded their investigation, girls.” One day, Stuart Alt- of the show’s final episode, leable. Which means they’re from nursing college, eventually language.
becoming a senior clinical research After retirement from Hughes in
Hestrin said. man, a longtime friend of Durst can be heard mutter- not fixed. It’s not like a re- associate (CRA). In 2001, she was grief- 1985, Dick embarked upon many new
“The District Attorney’s Durst’s who testified earlier ing “What the hell did I do? cording device which you stricken when her oldest son Jeffrey endeavors including calligraphy , hand
Office has, and will continue in the proceedings, brought Killed them all, of course,” can then play back later,” died suddenly from a heart attack. made custom books, teaching book
to, work with the Attorney Berman back to the frater- seemingly unaware he was she said Wednesday. binding, and, along with Lois, began
General’s Office to assist nity house. Durst said he being recorded. Authorities “Rather, these memories are She retired and moved to the tandem bike riding. He and his wife
Lipson’s vacation residence in Costa traveled the world bike riding, making
them in this prosecution,” and Berman quickly found a had reviewed the footage subject to contamination, Rica in 2008 with her husband and
Hestrin said by email, add- grim point to bond over: the months before it aired and distortion or change.” new friends on each adventure.
resided there predominately until Richard loved his family and his family
ing his office assisted Bonta fact that they had both lost chose to arrest Durst hours Such notions could weigh 2014 when the couple returned loved him. His life was a magical and
in obtaining an arrest war- parents at a young age. before the episode was tele- heavily in a case in which the permanently to the U.S. choosing wonderful experience. Everyone who
rant against Sanchez. “Whatever it was, that vised out of concern he jury will have to assess the Sarasota as their new home. knew him was a better person for that
Bonta’s intervention in night, I was relatively talk- might flee. reliability of witnesses’ relationship.
Known for her gregarious In lieu of flowers, the family asks
the Sanchez case under- ative ... Susan and I stayed Many took the recorded memories of decades-old personality and firm opinions, she is that donations in his name are sent to
scores a campaign promise up all night,” he said. utterance as tantamount to conversations with either survived by her husband Larry Lipson, the Alzheimers Foundation at www.
he made to be more aggres- It had been unclear in re- a confession, though Durst or Berman. son Matthew Lipson (and wife Tammy) act.alz.org or to the Kidney Foundation
sive than his predecessors cent weeks whether Durst DeGuerin has dismissed the Lewin spent several and grandchildren Olen, Adrian and at www.kidneyfund.org.
Ava LIpson.
on issues of police miscon- would elect to testify — a now-infamous comment as hours Wednesday attacking
duct. Former Atty. Gen. Xa- risky move that will allow the product of deceptive Loftus for what he said was MIYAKAWA JR., THOMAS
vier Becerra and his prede- prosecutors to grill him editing by the filmmakers. her bias. He noted she rarely TADASHI ZELTA, Ann
cessor, Vice President Ka- under oath after DeGuerin The path from Durst’s ar- testifies on behalf of prose- Age 83, passed away on July 30,
2021. Mount Sinai Memorial Parks -
mala Harris, faced criticism is finished with his ques- rest to his testifying in his cutors, referring to her as a Hollywood Hills 800-600-0076
Beloved husband of Barbara
for what some perceived as tions. DeGuerin said he ex- own defense was a legal “hired gun” for high-profile Ann Miyakawa; father of Reverie www.mountsinaiparks.org
their refusal to use their pects to be done with his odyssey that spanned years. defendants. (Ryan) Imagiire and Ariane (Gregg)
authority as the state’s top questioning by the end of the When he was captured in Durst had been expected Nakawatase; grandfather of Ryuta To place
law enforcement official to week, opening the door for 2015, Durst was allegedly in to take the stand Thursday Imagiire, Trevor Nakawatase, and
hold police agencies ac- Lewin, a prosecutor known possession of marijuana and afternoon, but the proceed- Emma Nakawatase; brother of Stanley an obituary ad
Miyakawa and Edward Miyakawa please go online to:
countable. for aggressive cross-exami- a handgun, leading to ings were delayed when (deceased); and is also survived by
Becerra’s decision not to nations. charges that had to be re- court officials learned a per- other relatives.
prosecute the Sacramento Last month, Durst’s at- solved in Louisiana. It would son who attended the trial Private family services were held
latimes.com/placeobituary
officers who killed Stephon torneys unsuccessfully be 18 months before he made recently had tested positive on August 6, 2021 at Fukui Mortuary
Clark, an unarmed man who sought a mistrial, claiming his first appearance in a Los for the coronavirus. The dis- Chapel.
No additional service will be held or call
was shot in 2018 while hold- he is too sick to competently Angeles courtroom for an covery led to an abrupt ad- per his request.
ing a cellphone, sparked testify in his own defense. arraignment. journment for the rest of the As an alternative to flowers, 1-800-234-4444
massive protests in the state Diagnosed with bladder From there, prosecutors week. His testimony will re- donations may be made to your
capital. and esophageal cancer, he decided to call a number of sume Wednesday. favorite charity.
www.fukuimortuary.com
(213) 626-0441
E4 T U E S DAY , AU G U S T 10 , 2 0 21 L AT I M E S . C O M / CA L E N DA R

COMICS

SUDOKU BRIDGE
“But at Trick Two, South are slim and none, and since
By Frank Stewart led a low club from dummy. you have heart tolerance but
My partner played low, as partner’s spade support
Tuesday, Aug. 10. It was who would not? I took may be nil, pass.
warm in Los Angeles. South’s jack with my ace, but
We were working the day he wound up with over- South dealer
watch out of Bunco. My tricks. He’s a con man.” N-S vulnerable
partner’s Bill Gannon. He’s We took South into cus-
NORTH
a good player. My name’s tody on a charge of deceptive ♠ J 10
Friday. play. (He wanted to avoid ♥K542
We got a call about a losing an early club to East, ♦K853
scam at a Ventura club. We who might return a fatal ♣K85
checked it out. The suspect spade.) The trial judge said WEST EAST
♠K97532 ♠86
was still playing. One of his he wished he played as well. ♥J8 ♥ Q 10 9 3
opponents spoke with us. You hold: ♠ K 9 7 5 3 2 ♦72 ♦ J 10 9 6 4
“It was terrible, officer.” ♥ J 8 ♦ 7 2 ♣ A 4 2. Your part- ♣A42 ♣Q3
“Just the facts, ma’am.” ner opens one heart, you bid SOUTH
“That man sitting South one spade and he rebids two ♠AQ4
swindled his way to a game. I hearts. The opponents pass. ♥A76
led a spade as West. Dum- What do you say? ♦AQ
my’s jack won. An honorable Answer: Partner has six ♣ J 10 9 7 6
declarer would’ve led a dia- or more hearts. If he had SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
mond to his hand to let the only five, he would have a 1 NT Pass 2♣ Pass
jack of clubs ride. East would more descriptive second bid 2♦ Pass 3 NT All Pass
take the queen and return a available: 1NT or two of a mi- Opening lead — ♠ 5
spade, and South would go nor suit or a raise to two
KENKEN set. spades. Your game chances 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 ASK AMY
repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.

Keeping negativity at bay

Dear Amy: My wife and I Is there a remedy other can.
have been together for 44 than therapy that I might My suggestions for her
years. suggest, or a more convinc- are: Disengage completely
My wonderful wife used ing way to position it to get from social media. Within
to be generally happy and her (or us) to try it again? the first 24 hours, she should
positive. Neither of us is religious, notice a change in her basic
Then came four years we are financially secure, outlook.
of politics, which seems to and we are very much in love. Turn off the TV and
have scarred her perma- I’d like to course-correct to spend some time each day
nently; she now worries the way she used to be, and reading a novel and/or po-
about everything, is (at she agrees! etry.
times) hypercritical and has What to do? (We read Read up on mindfulness
8/10/21 a decidedly pessimistic out- your column every day in the and meditation and start
look. Negativity abounds. Washington Post.) and end each day with a de-
During the Trump ad- Concerned in D.C. liberate choice to list three
ministration she would ob- things she is grateful for and
HOROSCOPE sess daily about the latest Dear Concerned: I appre- spend time quietly thinking
outrage/headline/scandal to ciate the fact that you read about each one.
open. Stay aware of groups’ termine which worked bet- the point where I suggested, the Washington Post; I be- Spend as much time as
By Holiday Mathis tendency to enact behaviors ter for particular endeavors. and she accepted, trying lieve that this may actually possible outdoors, prefera-
more extreme than mem- Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. therapy. She “didn’t like it.” provide a clue about your bly in nature.
Aries (March 21-April 19): bers’ initial inclinations. 18): You’ll bear witness to a (She has done therapy be- wife’s state of mind. Volunteer! The Smithso-
Maybe you don’t have ene- Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): person’s baffling behavior. fore, and we both had coun- Events during the previ- nian has a cool project where
mies, but it’s possible you You were consistent, punc- Guess at the deeper story. seling together years ago. ous administration may any citizen can help to tran-
haven’t recognized them yet. tual and dependable. Now, Curiosity is the gateway to Both experiences were pos- have triggered her anxiety scribe documents from its
Often the enemy comes in let them wonder in the mys- wisdom. itive.) and negativity, but actually huge historical collection.
the form of fun, temptation teriousness of your absence. Pisces (Feb. 19-March In suggesting therapy re- living in or near D.C., Check transcription.si.edu
or a toxic friendship. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): 20): The world is filled with cently, I contrasted how surrounded by politically for information on how to get
Taurus (April 20-May Loosen your rules and oth- ideas good, bad and, more each of us is likely to live out engaged and concerned started.
20): You know opportunity ers will delight you with how often, neutral. Instead of fo- our “golden years.” fellow citizens, as well as be- She also should see her
when you see it. It matters they use those wide margins. cusing on an idea’s morality, My high school yearbook ing in physical proximity to physician. Her stress could
not whether your confidence Lift the restrictions you im- focus on the needs of people. described me as “happy-go- protests and the insurrec- cause health problems, but
is real or feigned. What mat- pose on yourself too. Today’s birthday (Aug. lucky,” a pretty accurate as- tion following the election, an undiagnosed medical is-
ters is that you reach for it. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): 10): You are beloved! Don’t sessment; my father kept a could be keeping her in sue might also contribute to
Gemini (May 21-June 21): You are driven to put some- let modesty keep you from smile on his face to the end, a place. her stress.
As obligations load your thing new in the world. Oth- reveling. There’s a release trait she admired. Her fa- Negative thoughts tend And yes, therapy! Good
schedule, time to yourself ers have done something from long-endured pres- ther, by contrast, was Archie to be “sticky,” leading to ru- therapy, like a good mar-
seems an unaffordable luxu- similar but not quite like sures. No need to lock down Bunker: railing at demons, mination. riage, is all about the right
ry. Not true! Use the word your version. a relationship, status or spe- scowling, always critical, for- Your wife might have in- fit. Keep trying.
”no” as your currency. Sagittarius (Nov. 22- cific end result. Concern ever unhappy. She doesn’t herited her father’s basic
Cancer (June 22-July 22): Dec. 21): The honor of your yourself with having a good want to be like that but even temperament, but the fact Send questions to Amy
The problem is obvious, attention is meaningful for- time and you will accomplish she admits that’s the path that she wants to change her Dickinson by email to ask
though it would be heavy- tification. Your eyes give ac- it time and again. Taurus she’s on. perspective means that she [email protected].
handed for you to point it knowledgments more es- and Gemini adore you. Your
out. The right attitude is a sential to the well-being of lucky numbers: 3, 38, 5, 14, 17.
light one. You’ll find what’s others than they’d admit. FAMILY CIRCUS By Bil Keane DENNIS THE MENACE By Hank Ketcham
positive and leverage it. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. Mathis writes her column
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): 19): First, you’ll take every- for Creators Syndicate Inc.
You belong to a group but thing seriously. Then, you’ll The horoscope should be
should keep your options take nothing seriously. De- read for entertainment.

CROSSWORD
Edited By Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
By Pat Devlin and Nora Devlin © 2021 Tribune Content Agency

ACROSS
1 4-Across holder
4 Chewing need
9 Comes (from)
14 Rock in a vein
15 Actress Berry of
“X-Men” films
16 Easy putt
17 *Where many hockey
face-offs happen
19 Kind of acid in proteins
20 Journalist Couric
21 Spicy ARGYLE SWEATER By Scott Hilburn MARMADUKE By Brad & Paul Anderson
23 Work with a needle
24 *Physical ability
acquired via repetition
29 Ready to harvest
32 President after Grant
33 Oral health org.
34 Phoenix-to-
Albuquerque dir.
35 Malek of “Bohemian
Rhapsody”
36 Amtrak express
38 Where one might learn
etiquette ... or a hint to
the answers to starred
clues
42 Does’ mates 7 Attention from Dr. Mom 49 Nibbles
43 Mardi __ 8 Lighthearted laugh 50 Attracted
44 Zip 9 Hawaii or Alaska 51 Animal name starting
45 Paris’ __ de la Cité 10 Flat hat with a double letter
46 Peninsular Persian Gulf 11 TV pilot, often 55 Fly sound
land 12 Lotion ingredient 56 Tulsa native, e.g.
48 Depend (on) 13 __ owl 57 Tear
49 *Contest won by the 18 Word with capsule or 59 Just make,
last fighter standing clock with “out” BLISS By Harry Bliss SPEED BUMP By Dave Coverly
52 Authentic ending? 22 Mantra syllables 61 Wood-splitting tool
53 Japanese veggie 25 Former Iranian leader 62 Tear
54 Birthday process 26 Garment with spaghetti 63 “Little ol’ me?”
58 River through Rome straps, for short ANSWER TO
60 *Comics Great Dane 27 Deceiving PREVIOUS PUZZLE
64 Call to mind 28 Speed ratio
65 Geometry basic 29 Umps’ counterparts
66 Cab cousin 30 Ambition
67 H.S. health course 31 Hockey’s “sin bin,”
68 Old photo tint formally
69 British zoo opening? 35 Blog feed letters
36 Rm. coolers
DOWN 37 Friend
1 Athletic stereotype 39 “Oh, now __ it!”
2 Region 40 Ethically uncertain
3 Left 41 Lee known for desserts
4 Brexit target org. 46 Proof-ending letters
5 Canal site 47 Food court attractions
6 Inventor Whitney 48 Audition (for) 8/10/21