Thursday, November 16, 2023

LA County Reports 1st Flu Death of the Season

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County reported the county’s first flu-related death of the 2023-24 flu season Wednesday.

According to the county Department of Public Health, the patient was an “elderly” resident with multiple underlying health conditions, and was apparently unvaccinated against the flu.

“Although most people recover from influenza without complications, this death is a reminder that influenza can be a serious illness,” according to a statement from the health agency. “Pneumonia is the most common complication of the flu. Flu can also aggravate underlying health conditions like heart disease or asthma. Annually, thousands of people nationwide are hospitalized or die from influenza-associated illness.”

Health officials said they are anticipating a potentially busy fall and winter for the health-care system, given a trio of circulating viruses — flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. All three have similar symptoms, and health officials urged anyone who develops symptoms to get tested for COVID-19.

“Although influenza seasons are difficult to predict,

Thursday, November 9, 2023

Investigator for Medical Examiner’s Office Charged with Theft

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A man who worked as an investigator for the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner has been charged with two counts of theft for allegedly removing a gold crucifix necklace from a dead man’s neck and keeping rare coins that were apparently linked to another man who was found dead, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

Adrian Munoz, 34, of Los Angeles, is charged with one felony count of grand theft of property and one misdemeanor count of petty theft of property, according to the DA’s office.

Surveillance video showed Munoz removing a gold crucifix necklace from the neck of a warehouse worker who died Jan. 6 of a heart attack at his job in South Los Angeles and placing it in his medical bag, according to the DA’s office, which alleges that Munoz did not return the necklace or document it in the property receipt.

Investigators who searched Munoz’s desk cubicle found rare antique coins with a receipt in the name of a man who had been discovered dead last November,

Monday, November 6, 2023

In Altadena, Rotary and Sheriff’s Station Join to Host a Holiday Food Drive

STAFF REPORT

In a heartwarming display of community spirit, the Altadena Sheriff’s Station and the Altadena Rotary Club are joining forces to host an annual food drive.

This initiative is aimed at supporting families in need in the Altadena and unincorporated Pasadena area. The food drive, which runs from through November 30th, is accepting nonperishable food items.

The organizers are specifically requesting canned goods such as soup, green beans, corn, yams, cranberries, mixed veggies, and starch beans (pinto, kidney). In addition to these, boxes of stuffing, cornbread mix, packets of gravy or broth, boxes of jello/sweets, and boxes of mashed potatoes are also being accepted. These items were chosen for their long shelf life and nutritional value, making them ideal for a food drive of this nature.

Donations can be delivered to the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, located at 780 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena, CA 91001. The station is open for donations 24 hours a day, making it convenient for donors to drop off their contributions at any time.

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Jury Finds Woman Guilty For Murder of Foster Mother Who Had Custody of Her Child

By ANDRÉ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

A homeless woman was found guilty of strangling the foster mother in 2018 who was caring for the homeless woman’s daughter.

According to the prosecutors Mary Jean O’Connor tracked down 75-year old Jeri Douglas to her Pasadena home and strangled her.

O’Connor is scheduled to be sentenced next month. She faces 25 years to life.

Pasadena police officers found Douglas’ body inside her condo in the 200 block South Madison Avenue in Pasadena on Dec. 17, 2018. Paramedics declared her dead at the scene.

Authorities went to the home after one of Douglas’ daughters was unable to reach her mother for several days, according to Pasadena police.

O’Connor was arrested in a mobile home in North Hollywood in late December 2018 and charged with one count of murder.

In a Jan. 17, 2019 interview with the Pasadena Weekly, O’Connor proclaimed her innocence.

Monday, October 30, 2023

LA County Supervisors Demand Answers About Delay in Landlord-Relief Program

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Two Los Angeles County supervisors Monday called for an audit to determine why a rent-relief program for small property owners who are owed back rent accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to be implemented, despite being approved nine months ago.

The Board of Supervisors approved the program on Jan. 24, directing the county Department of Business and Consumer Affairs to distribute $45 million to “mom-and-pop” landlords who are owned back rent. But according to Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Holly Mitchell, the program still has not begun, with neither applications nor program guidelines being made available.

“Delaying the disbursement of relief funds to mom-and-pop property owners is simply unacceptable,” Barger said in a statement. “The motion I introduced included an expectation that this landlord relief program would be launched expeditiously. We’ve missed the mark and small property owners are bearing the brunt of DCBA’s delays.”

Barger and Mitchell called on the county CEO to conduct an audit to identify reasons for the delay,

Saturday, October 21, 2023

LA County Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly in September

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in September, up slightly from a revised 5% in August, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.

The 5.1% rate was above the 4.5% rate from September 2022.

In Orange County, where seasonally adjusted numbers were not available, the September unemployment rate was 3.7%, down slightly from 3.9% the previous month.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7% in September, 4.6% in August and 4% in September 2022. The comparable figures for the nation were 3.8% in September, 3.8% in August and 3.5% a year ago.

Total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County increased by 20,200 positions between August and September to reach more than 4.6 million.

The government sector showed the biggest increase, adding 16,400 jobs, according to the EDD.

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

L.A. County Board OKs Amended 2023-24 Budget, Boosting Spending by $3.4 Billion

Crediting an influx of state and federal dollars along with higher-than-expected revenue and departmental cost savings, the county Board of Supervisors approved an amended $46.7 billion budget for the 2023-34 fiscal year Tuesday, adding hundreds of new positions.

The board unanimously approved a $3.4 billion supplemental budget plan, augmenting the initial $43.3 billion budget it approved for 2023-24 back in June.

In a presentation to the board, county CEO Fesia Davenport said more than half of the new funding, or about $1.8 billion, represented new funding from the state and federal governments. She noted that the bulk of that money is specifically “attached to particular programs or services,” meaning it mostly cannot be reallocated to other county programs.

The rest of the additional funding is the result of “operational savings” in various departments, including staff vacancies, cost savings in areas such as ongoing capital improvement projects and revenue collections that “exceeded what was anticipated,” primarily property tax revenue.

The new funding will be used to add 666 staff positions,

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

L.A. County Board of Supervisors Unanimously Approves Barger’s Arts Support Motion Amid $4.1 Billion Revenue Loss

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a motion by Pasadena-area Supervisor Kathryn Barger to support the struggling arts sector, which is facing a potential $4.1 billion loss in revenues due to the pandemic and slow recovery.

Introduced by Barger, the motion aims to promote and support arts venues throughout the county.

Supervisor Barger emphasized the importance of these venues as shared communal spaces that reinforce mental and emotional well-being.

The motion directs the County’s Department of Arts and Culture to launch a social media promotional campaign and create a virtual map of arts programs for easy access by residents.

The motion also calls for several County departments that serve high numbers of the public – including Public Library, Parks and Recreation, and Beaches and Harbors – to take a more active role in promoting resources and events related to arts and culture.

The impact of the pandemic on the performing arts sector has not only affected the arts community but also public revenue.

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Metro Board of Directors OKs Extension of Micro Transit Service for Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Metro’s Board of Directors Thursday extended its MicroTransit Pilot Program on-demand rideshare service through September 2024 for numerous zones in L.A. County including Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre.

The Board also instructed that a study be done to determine whether the program should be continued for an additional six months, or if necessary, discontinue some of the eight zones the program serves.

The board voted 12-0 with director and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger absent during the vote. Directors Ara Najarian, James Butts, Fernando Durta, Janice Hahn and Barger introduced the motion to possibly consider a new operational business model and improve the overall performance of its micro transit program, also known as Metro Micro.

Metro Micro is an on-demand rideshare service, offering trips within several zones in L.A. County, including Watts/Compton; LAX/Inglewood; El Monte; North Hollywood/Burbank; Highland Park/Eagle Rock/Glendale; Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre; Northwest San Fernando Valley; and UCLA/Westwood/VA Medical Center.

The service can be used for short local trips and uses small vehicles seating up to 10 passengers.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

L.A. County Proposes New Bid to Settle Homelessness Lawsuit

By FRED SHUSTER, City News Service

Los Angeles County and the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights have reached a new proposed settlement of a lawsuit over local governments’ response to the homelessness crisis, and it appears to meet recent demands of the judge overseeing the case, according to court documents filed Monday.

U.S. District Judge David Carter has rejected previous efforts to settle, denying the county and the homelessness coalition’s joint stipulation to dismiss the case, saying he wanted more “oversight and enforcement powers.”

According to Monday’s filing, Carter is getting what he asked for, including the county’s promise to fund 3,000 new mental health/substance use disorder beds, subsidies for 450 new clients of residential care facilities for indigent adults and the elderly, and, significantly, the appointment of a retired federal judge to monitor the county’s compliance with the settlement.

“The previous settlement the parties presented to the Court already provides a thousand new beds and enhanced services for people experiencing homelessness with substance use disorder or mental illness,”