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Heat hacks: How to stay cool without air conditioning

Lisa Brenner with KPCC staff — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:49:00 -0700

File photo from 2013.; Credit: Mae Ryan/KPCC

Lisa Brenner with KPCC staff

Warning signs | Cooling centers | Pets

A fall heat wave is bearing down on Los Angeles, with triple-digit temperatures hitting Southern California Tuesday and with temperatures in the 80s and 90s through the rest of the week. We've collected maps and links to cooling centers, along with tips to stay cool and protect yourself against heat-related illnesses.

Los Angeles County has issued an list of community cooling centers, and KPCC has curated some other stay-cool tips for air-conditionally challenged residents across the region.

Below you'll find practical advice from health officials, local resources from safety professionals and questionable suggestions from formerly hot people.

Do you have a dependable method for hacking your body temperature? Tell us via Twitter or leave a comment below.

AND NOW, A WORD ABOUT DRINKING

In the face of tyrannical temperatures, it is essential to stay hydrated. Failing to drink enough water can result in a number of dangerous defeats, including, but not limited to, heat cramps, heat stroke and death.

However, not all beverages are on your side. To make sure you're imbibing only allies, follow these basic guidelines:

Tip: Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water or electrolyte-replacements

Tip: Drink cool water, not extremely cold water (which can cause cramps)

Tip: Avoid sweetened drinks, caffeine, alcohol

The CDC says that in extreme heat you must increase fluid intake regardless of your activity level. Eight to 10 glasses of water per day is advised. If engaging in "heavy exercise in a hot environment," they recommend drinking:

Two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids every hour.

SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION

Dizziness

Fatigue

Faintness

Headaches

Muscle cramps

Increased thirst

MORE SEVERE SIGNS

Diminished judgment

Disorientation

Pale and clammy skin

Rapid, weak pulse

Fast, shallow breathing

Unconsciousness

Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)

An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)

HOW TO LOOK COOL

In times of excessive heat, authorities say to dress like you're on vacation. That includes:

Hat, preferably with a wide brim

Loose-fitting, light-colored, long-sleeve shirts and pants

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

WHERE IS THE CLOSEST COOLING CENTER?

In L.A., Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, call 3-1-1 or call for a list cooling centers. In the city of Los Angeles, you can also find a list of recreation centers, senior centers and libraries — all good choices for cooling off — online.

Tip: Call the center in advance to make sure seating is available.

Tip: If the center you want is at capacity, or non-operational, head to a local, air conditioned library and cool off with a book about ice fishing in Antarctica.

Below is a map of cooling centers and splash pads/pools provided by L.A. County in 2015. Make sure to search the updated online directory to find the closest location before heading out.

A map of cooling centers provided by 2-1-1 Orange County:

For residents of Riverside County, the public health department has created this list to help you locate a cooling center near you.

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PROTECT A PET FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT

Never leave a pet or animal in a garage
Never leave a pet or animal in a vehicle
Never leave a pet or animal in the sun
Provide shade
Provide clean drinking water

PROTECT A HUMAN FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT

Check in frequently with family, friends and neighbors. Offer assistance or rides to those who are sick or have limited access to transportation. And give extra attention to people most at risk, including:

Elderly people (65 years and older)
Infants
Young children
People with chronic medical conditions
People with mental illness
People taking certain medications (i.e.: "If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot," says the CDC)

OTHER STAY COOL TIPS

Kiddie pool
Lotions in the fridge
Eat spicy foods in the basement (or on the floor) while wearing a damp shirt and listening to the rain setting on your white noise machine
Make sure ceiling fans are running counterclockwise
Wet paper towels. Fold into ankle and wrist cuffs. Freeze. Wear. Repeat.
Build a DIY AC
Build a mini cold air fan
Build an "evaporative cooler for immediate heat relief"
Make a barricade of fans and ice cubes
Go to an air-conditioned public place (movie theater, for example)
Close all the curtains, preferably the heat absorbing kind
Or open all the windows, depending on the breeze situation
Cool bath or shower twice a day
Wash your sheets before bed but don't dry them — put them on the bed damp (provided you're dealing with a dry heat)
Portable A/C unit

This story has been updated and originally ran in 2013.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Massive Arroyo Seco homeless camp cleanup continues

Mary Plummer — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 05:00:05 -0700

A major clean up of the Arroyo Seco riverbed is underway near South Pasadena.; Credit: Pepe Garcia/ L.A. Bureau of Sanitation

Mary Plummer

One of Los Angeles's largest and most complicated homeless camp cleanups in recent years will continue on Tuesday, as workers dismantle between 17 and 20 dwellings tucked along the 110 freeway near South Pasadena.

"The complicated part of it is the remoteness of the area that we're cleaning up," said Jose Garcia, an official with Los Angeles city Bureau of Sanitation.

The encampment area, which is hidden in spots wedged between the 110 freeway and the Arroyo Seco near South Pasadena, has for years been a makeshift home for people living outdoors looking to escape the heat and other dangers. On Sunday, large mounds of trash and personal items could be seen in heaps along the freeway.

One pile was directly across the street from the manicured greens of the Arroyo Seco Golf Course.

The cleanup process started last week and paused Thursday when crews were diverted to help set up for the Made in America music festival in downtown Los Angeles. Garcia estimates that 50 to 60 tons of material from the camps will be removed by the time the cleanup is done later this week.

"The cleanup effort is to improve the living conditions of both the people that live around these areas and the people that live within these areas," he said.

People living in the camps were given notice before the cleanup began so they could save and store their personal items, Garcia said.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority said he had no information on the cleanup, and the director of homeless services could not be reached during the Labor Day holiday.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Quiz: How much water do I waste brushing my teeth?! 11 water stats you probably can't guess

Jeanette Marantos — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 14:35:53 -0700

Average individual water use estimates vary from California's coastal areas to its central valley. How much do you know about your water use? ; Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Jeanette Marantos

Average individual water use is a tricky thing to figure, with estimates varying from 77 to 150 gallons a day in the coastal areas of Los Angeles to 264 gallons a day in Riverside and a whopping 736 gallons a day in Palm Springs, based on data from the California Department of Water Resources.

Part of the confusion is whether you irrigate a yard or use water-saving devices, but no matter how you measure it, California is in a serous drought. The governor has asked us all to cut our water use by 20 percent.

But what does that mean, exactly, if we're not really sure how much water we're using now?

On Thursday, KPCC will be hosting an event along with the Milken Institute featuring panelists from The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and L.A. Department of Water and Power, as well as representatives from advocacy groups and the private sector. The event is full, but we'll have live video available on the site!

In the meantime, take our quiz and see how much you know about the household water uses we take for granted every day:

Quiz: Water use in Southern California

Correction: An earlier version of this quiz contained a mathematical error in question 8, which we have removed. KPCC regrets the error.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Happy birthday, Nikola Tesla! See a video of a working Tesla coil

Jeanette Marantos — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 15:55:16 -0700

Nikola Tesla (center) and Mark Twain (left) ; Credit: The Tesla Collection

Jeanette Marantos

Eccentric physicist and inventor Nikola Tesla would have turned 158 years old Thursday, and though he might've lived long ago, he's just coming into his prime as a household name and scientific celebrity.

The technology Tesla pioneered has become the stuff of our everyday lives — our smart phones, cars and cutting-edge advanced technological systems.

On July 20, KPCC will honor him by throwing the prescient genius a party— complete with a working Tesla coil made by KPCC’s own Chief Engineer Lance Harper, which you can check out here.

Video: KPCC's Tesla Coil

There's no more room at the Crawford Family Forum event, but you can watch the live stream (and get notified beforehand) here.

Tesla’s ability to foresee technological developments was almost spooky, especially since he claimed to do all the planning, drawing and early testing in his head. For instance, he wrote this in January 1905, in “The Transmission of Electrical Energy Without Wires as a Means for Furthering Peace”:

“Within a few years a simple and inexpensive device, readily carried about, will enable one to receive on land or sea the principal news, to hear a speech, a lecture, a song or play of a musical instrument, conveyed from any other region of the globe.”

Volumes have been written about Tesla’s inventions and background. The inventor himself left an autobiography (easily accessible online) and multiple other essays and letters that give us a clear and sometimes puzzling perspective on his extraordinary life.

We'll leave you with a few excerpts about his early life from “My Inventions,” first published in Electrical Experimenter magazine in 1919.

Tesla was born in 1856 to Serbian parents in the village of Smiljan, now in modern-day Croatia. His mother was a skilled but uneducated weaver and seamstress who invented many hand tools to aid her work. “I must trace to my mother's influence whatever inventiveness I possess,” he wrote.

His father was a Serbian Orthodox priest who expected his son to follow his profession, despite his desire to be an engineer. He only relented after Tesla became ill with cholera and nearly died in 1873.

“In one of the sinking spells which was thought to be the last, my father rushed into the room. I still see his pallid face as he tried to cheer me in tones belying his assurance. 'Perhaps,' I said, 'I may get well if you will let me study engineering.' 'You will go to the best technical institution in the world,' he solemnly replied, and I knew that he meant it. A heavy weight was lifted from my mind, but the relief would have come too late had it not been for a marvelous cure brought about thru a bitter decoction of a peculiar bean. I came to life like another Lazarus to the utter amazement of everybody.”

From an early age, Tesla began experiencing flashes of light and very detailed visions: "pictures of things and scenes which I had really seen, never of those I imagined.” These visions tormented him, he said, and sometimes confused him about what was real, until he was able to find a way to control them.

“To free myself of these tormenting appearances, I tried to concentrate my mind on something else I had seen, and in this way I would often obtain temporary relief; but in order to get it I had to conjure continuously new images. It was not long before I found that I had exhausted all of those at my command; my 'reel' had run out, as it were, because I had seen little of the world — only objects in my home and the immediate surroundings. As I performed these mental operations for the second or third time, in order to chase the appearances from my vision, the remedy gradually lost all its force. Then I instinctively commenced to make excursions beyond the limits of the small world of which I had knowledge, and I saw new scenes. These were at first very blurred and indistinct, and would flit away when I tried to concentrate my attention upon them, but by and by I succeeded in fixing them; they gained in strength and distinctness and finally assumed the concreteness of real things. I soon discovered that my best comfort was attained if I simply went on in my vision farther and farther, getting new impressions all the time, and so I began to travel — of course, in my mind. Every night (and sometimes during the day), when alone, I would start on my journeys — see new places, cities and countries —live there, meet people and make friendships and acquaintances and, however unbelievable, it is a fact that they were just as dear to me as those in actual life and not a bit less intense in their manifestations.”

These mental excursions lasted until he was about 17, he said, until he began thinking seriously about inventing.

“Then I observed to my delight that I could visualize with the greatest facility. I needed no models, drawings or experiments. I could picture them all as real in my mind. Thus I have been led unconsciously to evolve what I consider a new method of materializing inventive concepts and ideas, which is radically opposite to the purely experimental and is in my opinion ever so much more expeditious and efficient.

"The moment one constructs a device to carry into practise a crude idea he finds himself unavoidably engrost [engrossed] with the details and defects of the apparatus. As he goes on improving and reconstructing, his force of concentration diminishes and he loses sight of the great underlying principle. Results may be obtained but always at the sacrifice of quality.

"My method is different. I do not rush into actual work. When I get an idea I start at once building it up in my imagination. I change the construction, make improvements and operate the device in my mind. It is absolutely immaterial to me whether I run my turbine in thought or test it in my shop. I even note if it is out of balance. There is no difference whatever, the results are the same. In this way I am able to rapidly develop and perfect a conception without touching anything. When I have gone so far as to embody in the invention every possible improvement I can think of and see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete form this final product of my brain. Invariably my device works as I conceived that it should, and the experiment comes out exactly as I planned it. In twenty years there has not been a single exception.”

Tesla says he did do some inventing as a boy. His first device had terrible consequences for the local frogs:

"One of my playmates had come into the possession of a hook and fishing-tackle which created quite an excitement in the village, and the next morning all started out to catch frogs. I was left alone and deserted owing to a quarrel with this boy. I had never seen a real hook and pictured it as something wonderful, endowed with peculiar qualities, and was despairing not to be one of the party. Urged by necessity, I somehow got hold of a piece of soft iron wire, hammered the end to a sharp point between two stones, bent it into shape, and fastened it to a strong string. I then cut a rod, gathered some bait, and went down to the brook where there were frogs in abundance. But I could not catch any and was almost discouraged when it occurred to me to dangle the empty hook in front of a frog sitting on a stump. At first he collapsed but by and by his eyes bulged out and became bloodshot, he swelled to twice his normal size and made a vicious snap at the hook. Immediately I pulled him up. I tried the same thing again and again and the method proved infallible. When my comrades, who in spite of their fine outfit had caught nothing, came to me they were green with envy. For a long time I kept my secret and enjoyed the monopoly but finally yielded to the spirit of Christmas. Every boy could then do the same and the following summer brought disaster to the frogs.

Who knows what new energy source could have come from his next “invention” if a certain hungry boy hadn’t come along.

“In my next attempt, I seem to have acted under the first instinctive impulse which later dominated me—to harness the energies of nature to the service of man. I did this through the medium of May bugs, or June bugs as they are called in America, which were a veritable pest in that country and sometimes broke the branches of trees by the sheer weight of their bodies. The bushes were black with them. I would attach as many as four of them to a cross-piece, rotably (Tesla’s word) arranged on a thin spindle, and transmit the motion of the same to a large disc and so derive considerable 'power.' These creatures were remarkably efficient, for once they were started, they had no sense to stop and continued whirling for hours and hours and the hotter it was, the harder they worked. All went well until a strange boy came to the place. He was the son of a retired officer in the Austrian army. That urchin ate May-bugs alive and enjoyed them as though they were the finest blue-point oysters. That disgusting sight terminated my endeavours in this promising field and I have never since been able to touch a May-bug or any other insect for that matter.

Tesla had many serious illnesses when he was young, starting when he about 13. The man he credits with saving his life then was an American author who would later become his friend:

“I had hardly completed my course at the Real Gymnasium when I was prostrated with a dangerous illness or rather, a score of them, and my condition became so desperate that I was given up by physicians. During this period I was permitted to read constantly, obtaining books from the Public Library which had been neglected and entrusted to me for classification of the works and preparation of the catalogues. One day I was handed a few volumes of new literature unlike anything I had ever read before and so captivating as to make me utterly forget my hopeless state. They were the earlier works of Mark Twain and to them might have been due the miraculous recovery which followed. Twenty-five years later, when I met Mr. Clemens and we formed a friendship between us, I told him of the experience and was amazed to see that great man of laughter burst into tears.”

Tesla wrote about his inventions the way poets write about love. For instance, he spent many tortured months trying to discover a way to create the rotary magnetic field—a project his professors dismissed as impossible—and even suffered what he termed a nervous breakdown. He said he knew the solution was somewhere in his brain, and sure enough, the answer suddenly came to him as he was on walk with a friend, reciting Goethe’s “Faust,” which he knew by heart.

“The sun was just setting and reminded me of the glorious passage:

'The glow retreats, done is the day of toil;/ It yonder hastes, new fields of life exploring;/ Ah, that no wing can lift me from the soil/ Upon its track to follow, follow soaring!/ A glorious dream! though now the glories fade./ Alas! the wings that lift the mind no aid/ Of wings to lift the body can bequeath me.'

As I uttered these inspiring words the idea came like a flash of lightning and in an instant the truth was revealed. I drew with a stick on the sand the diagrams shown six years later in my address before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, and my companion understood them perfectly. The images I saw were wonderfully sharp and clear and had the solidity of metal and stone, so much so that I told him: ‘See my motor here; watch me reverse it.’ I cannot begin to describe my emotions. Pygmalion seeing his statue come to life could not have been more deeply moved. A thousand secrets of nature which I might have stumbled upon accidentally I would have given for that one which I had wrested from her against all odds and at the peril of my existence.”

Happy Birthday, Nikola!

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Sandra Tsing Loh's mad take on social media, menopause and middle age

Jeanette Marantos — Tue, 20 May 2014 10:54:08 -0700

Jeanette Marantos

If you haven't yet met her, author/performer Sandra Tsing Loh is a regular voice here on KPCC, where her "Loh Down on Science" and "Loh Life" air regularly. She's also the publisher of a new book, and this weekend she got some bicoastal love from east and west coast papers of record. (She'll also, just BTW, be at KPCC's Crawford Family Forum Wednesday for a live discussion with KPCC's Shirley Jahad).

Both the L.A. and New York Times devoted major profiles to her and her new book, “The Madwoman in the Volvo: My Year of Raging Hormones.” Both pieces explored her thoughts on menopause, marriage and picking up the kids on time. To both, she sprinkled little bits of madwoman wisdom such as:

From the L.A. Times Q&A:

Q: You mention that you found a lack of honest, true-to-life literature on the experiences of menopause.

A: Yes, I found a lot of books that say: ‘Just eat more kale, drink lots of water, do your yoga. There was a lot of ‘calm down. And cut out the sugar.’ One theory I might proffer to explain the lack of literature is: As women, we want to say, ‘we never go nuts. It’s never that time of the month.’ We’re afraid that we’re going to set back the advancements we’ve made if we admit certain things.”

Q: What were you most surprised to discover about menopause?

A: Your normal coping mechanisms of ‘I’m going to make a ‘to do’ list, and once I finish my ‘to do’ list I will feel better’ are not going to work anymore.

I mention in the book how therapy does and doesn’t work. Therapists have to give you pretty reasonable advice. But some of the midlife advice you need to hear is: I guess you need to divorce your husband, or have an affair or date a younger man, or go on a cruise or move to Africa. You might actually need to do something extreme to change your life and a therapist really can’t give you advice that’s not healthy or sensible.”

From the New York Times profile:

“I just joined Twitter,” the writer and performer Sandra Tsing Loh announced into a good old-fashioned microphone. She was deep in the warren of the KPCC-FM public radio station (wall-to-wall carpeting, office kitchen copiously stocked with herbal teas, a sound engineer who keeps bees), recording a segment for ‘The Loh Life,’ one of her two long-running broadcasts here….

“Reading from a printed script, waving her hand for emphasis like a rhythmic gymnast without a ribbon, Ms. Loh described commiserating over her meager number of Twitter followers – close to 300, as of this typing – with some other ‘tech-impaired, middle-aged’ female authors.

“‘It’s like our Twitter feeds are artisanal,’ she said.”

You can catch her live at KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum Wednesday (tickets are sold out, but we'll be live-streaming the show with KPCC reporter Shirley Jahad).

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Could a nasal strip rule trip up California Chrome's Triple Crown chances?

KPCC staff — Sun, 18 May 2014 15:04:28 -0700

California Chrome is bathed in preparation for the 139th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 15, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland.; Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

KPCC staff

SoCal equestrian heartthrob and triple crown challenger California Chrome could face a problem in his bid to win all three major horse-racing championships: A New York state rule that bars the use of equine nasal strips.

The L.A. Times reports Sunday that the horse's trainer raised the possibility that California Chrome may not race unless the race allows his horse to wear the adhesive, which is used by human and horse athletes alike to help them breathe during competition.

California Chrome has won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness races. If he wins at New York's Belmont Stakes, he'd be only the 12th Triple Crown winner in horse racing history and the first since 1978.

The Times reported that trainer Art Sherman would be speaking with California Chrome's owners about the issue.

It wasn’t clear how serious Sherman was, and he did say he could not speak for the horse’s co-owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin. But he didn’t back away from his comments when pressed.

“It might be an issue,” he said. “I’m not saying it will be.”

You can read the full report at the L.A. Times.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

It's an expensive world after all: Disneyland hikes ticket prices

KPCC staff — Sun, 18 May 2014 14:34:45 -0700

Reflections of the Disneyland California Adventure rides before "World of Color" show.; Credit: Andy/flickr Creative Commons

KPCC staff

It may be nicknamed the Happiest Place on Earth, but no one ever called it the cheapest.

Disneyland reportedly upped the prices for single tickets to its California theme park by $4 Sunday, and hoisted the cost for some its premium admissions considerably as well. Deadline Hollywood reports:

Today the price of a one-day, one park ticket for visitors 10 years and older increased $4 to $96, with the cost of a Disneyland/California Adventures Park-Hopper shooting up to $150 from $137 for adults. Disney also bumped up prices for SoCal Select (+$10 to $289), Deluxe (+$20 to $519), Premium (+$30 to $699), and Premier (+$50 to $1,029) passes.

The site reports that Disney has also suspended sales for its popular "SoCal Annual Passport," a favorite among Southern Californians who want regular weekend access to the park. Folks who've already purchased passes and those whose passports have recently expired will be able to renew.

You can read more at Deadline Hollywood.

The DLandLive.com website, meanwhile, has a full breakdown of the new prices, including parking (which went up to $17 for cars).

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Pasadena power outage leaves city in the dark

Mary Plummer and Eric Zassenhaus — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 20:44:00 -0700

The view (or lack thereof) from East Villa Street and North Altadena Drive in Pasadena. A power outage let a large section of Pasadena darkened Monday night. ; Credit: Courtesy Luis Gomez

Mary Plummer and Eric Zassenhaus

A large power outage left city streets and homes in the dark in Pasadena Monday night.

A Pasadena Water and Power spokeswoman said a couple thousand homes in southeast Pasadena were affected.

Update 8:54 p.m.: PWP: Power will be back within the hour

Pasadena Water and Power says power for the southeast areas of the city will be restored within the hour.

They say they've determined the cause to have been a mylar balloon that got caught in the city's wires.

8:44 p.m.: Pasadena power outage leaves city in the dark

PWP spokeswoman Wendy De Leon said the lights went out at around 7:30 p.m.. Initial reports suggest the outage was caused by a mylar balloon getting tangled in the utility's wires.

"Unfortunately because mylar balloons have metal in them, when they hit our wires, they cause outages. That's why it's really important for people to dispose of their balloons when they're done with them," she said.

"It's one of the leading causes of outages unfortunately," she added.

Pasadena Water and Power says they have crew out investigating the matter and should have the system repaired or an estimate on how long it will take within the next hour.

Tweet: Pasadena Water and Power

We'll update this post as more information becomes available.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Officer is released from hospital after fatal Beverly Hills crash

KPCC staff — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 13:48:10 -0700

; Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images

KPCC staff

A female officer who was critically injured in a crash Friday that killed her partner in Beverly Hills was released late Saturday, LAPD confirmed.

The officer, a trainee who had recently joined the force, left Cedars Sinai Hospital late Saturday, Los Angeles police told CBS2. LAPD declined to release her name.

An investigation is still underway in the deadly crash, with police not sure what caused a truck to slam into the police cruiser on Robert Lane and Loma Vista Drive. LAPD Chief Beck said preliminary findings indicated that the accident may have been caused by a brake failure on the part of the truck.

The neighborhood was known by residents to have very steep streets, and it is a difficult area for truck drivers to drive in, Beck said.

A 16-year veteran, Nicholas Choung Lee, 40, was killed in the accident. He leaves behind a wife and two young daughters.

A bank account has been set up to handle donations to the family. You can find information on how to contribute at the LAPD credit union's website.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated how long Lee was employed with the LAPD.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Calderon investigation: State Sen. Ron Calderon arraigned on corruption, money laundering charges (Updated)

Frank Stoltze and KPCC Staff — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 15:47:00 -0800

Mark Geragos, attorney for State Senator Ron Calderon, says his client "is in relatively good spirits, given the situation. It's obviously a very trying situation for him."; Credit: Frank Stoltze/KPCC

Frank Stoltze and KPCC Staff

Timeline | Key players | Read the indictment

State Sen. Ron Calderon was arraigned in federal court Monday afternoon on charges that were outlined in an indictment announced last Friday by the U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles. The public corruption charges include bribery and money laundering.

Calderon, handcuffed and shackled at the waist, pleaded not guilty. He will be released on a $50,000 bond, which was signed by his wife.

The trial date was set for April 22.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack Jenkins, who is leading Calderon's prosecution, said this is "the first step in a long process of seeking out justice for corrupt politicians." When the indictment was announced last Friday, federal officials said their investigation is continuing.

Meanwhile, Calderon's senate colleagues continued to consider his fate Monday afternoon in Sacramento. President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said Calderon would be given a week to resign or take a leave of absence before the senate moves ahead with a suspension vote.

No California state senator has been expelled from office since 1905.

Following the arraignment, Calderon's attorney, Mark Geragos, said his client "is in relatively good spirits, given the situation. It's obviously a very trying situation for him."

The indictment alleges that Calderon used his two children to launder bribery payments. They were not named in the indictment.

As for the state senate's desire that Calderon resign or take a leave of absence, Geragos said: "We are going to get the [case] discovery and then decide exactly how much of his time I'm going to need as his lawyer. And then we'll make decisions as to what he's going to do after that.

"He's got a great deal of concerns for his constituents."

Geragos said Calderon would prefer to continue to serve: "That's what he loves to do."

The 56-year-old Democrat from Montebello has served in the State Senate since 2006. He previously served in the State Assembly.

Geragos added that he "would caution everyone that there is still a presumption of innocence in this country. I would just ask everyone to take a deep breath before they start drawing conclusions."

The veteran criminal defense attorney also addressed the FBI affidavit that was leaked to the press last October. Geragos accused federal officials of leaking the affidavit to smear Calderon after he stopped cooperating with the FBI's investigation.

"What goes into affidavits, is generally uncorroborated hearsay," Geragos said.

"I can tell you in 31 years, I've never had a situation in federal court where a search warrant affidavit has been leaked."

Geragos filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the leaked document. The U.S. Attorney's office responded on Friday, the same day it announced its indictment against Calderon. Geragos said that timing is suspicious.

"I don't think that's a coincidence," Geragos said. "That's highly suggestive of what's exactly going on here, which is a bait-and-switch to get the media to ask these idiotic questions. The real question is, why is the government leaking affidavits to al-Jazeera?"

Asst. U.S. Atty Jenkins said the government views the charges against Calderon "as very serious."

Asked which of the two cases against Calderon is stronger — his alleged attempts to affect legislation regarding film tax credits or to protect a medical insurance fraud operation — Jenkins said: "We believe both cases are very strong."

"Certainly the fact that they coalesced, we think strengthens both cases."

Jenkins said the complicated case will likely be continued beyond its scheduled start date.

Calderon's brother, Tom, pleaded not guilty to money-laundering charges in a courtroom appearance on Friday.

Officials announced the Calderon brothers' indictment on federal corruption and money laundering charges Friday. Ron Calderon had been traveling at the time the charges were announced.

The senator was the subject of a year-long corruption investigation. The FBI raided the lawmaker's Sacramento offices in June last year as part of the investigation.

The charges announced Friday include mail fraud, wire fraud, honest services fraud, bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and aiding in the filing of false tax returns, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles.

On Friday, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg called for Sen. Ron Calderon's resignation.

"Given the seriousness of charges that strike at the very heart of what it means to be a public official, Senator Calderon’s continued service is a cloud over all the important work that we must get done this year," Steinberg said. "It is in the best interests of the people and the Senate if he resigns. I call on him to do so."

Michael Drobot, former owner of Pacific Hospital in Long Beach alleged to have paid bribes to the Senator, has agreed to plead guilty, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

This story has been updated.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Oscars 2014: Hollywood street, sidewalk closures go into effect Sunday

KPCC staff — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 10:12:18 -0800

By the end of the week, closures will go into effect on many of the streets surrounding the annual event. ; Credit: Courtesy Oscars.org

KPCC staff

Road closures and detours for next week's 86th Academy Awards will begin to go into effect in Hollywood Sunday night.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation says that some sidewalks and alleyways have already been closed. More will be blocked off starting at 10 p.m. Sunday, and Hollywood Boulevard will be closed between Orange Drive and Highland Ave. The agency says it will begin aggressively ticketing and towing once the restrictions go into effect.

Here's a list of Sunday's planned closures:

The south sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard between Orange and Highland
will close at 6 p.m., with the exception of an 8-foot pedestrian access.
The north sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard directly in front of the
Dolby Theatre portal will close at 10 p.m.
The north sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard from Highland to Orange,
with the exception of an 8-foot pedestrian access, will close at 10 p.m.
The pedestrian mid-block crosswalk on Hollywood Boulevard between
Highland and Orange will close at 10 p.m.

Monday

At 10 p.m. Monday, the Hawthorn Alley on the east side of the El Capitan Theatre will close from Hollywood Boulevard south 210 feet.

Friday

Hawthorn Avenue will close between Highland and Orange.

Saturday

Orchid Street will close from 60 feet south of Franklin Boulevard to Orchid Alley.
Orange will close from Orchid Alley to Hollywood Boulevard.
The north and south sidewalks of Hawthorn Avenue will close from Highland to Orange.
The north sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard will close completely from Highland to Orange.
The west sidewalk of Highland will close from Johnny Grant Way south to Hollywood Boulevard.
Johnny Grant Way from Highland to Orchid Street will close.

On March 2, Oscar Sunday

The remainder of Hawthorn Alley from Orange to Highland will close.
Orange will close from Hawthorn to Hollywood Boulevard.
The north and south sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard from Highland to
300 feet east of Highland will close.
The south sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard will close directly in
front of the north-south running Hawthorn Alley.
The east and west sidewalks of Highland from Hollywood Boulevard to Hawthorn will close.
The east sidewalk of Highland will close from Yucca Street south to the alley.
The north and south crosswalks on Hollywood Boulevard at the Highland intersection.
Hollywood Boulevard will be closed from La Brea Boulevard to Orange Drive, and from Highland Avenue to Cahuenga Boulevard.
Hawthorn Avenue will close between Orange Drive and La Brea, and from Highland and McCadden Place.
McCadden Place will close from Yucca Street to Hollywood Boulevard.
Wilcox Avenue will close between Sunset and Cahuenga boulevards.
Metro Red Line trains will bypass the Hollywood and Highland station. Regular service will resume March 3.
Metro bus routes along Hollywood Boulevard will be re-routed during the street closures.

You can see a full listing and map of the closures on the Oscars website, or embedded below:

Maps: Academy Awards street and sidewalk closures

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Calderon corruption charges: Who's who in the investigation of California state Sen. Ron Calderon

KPCC staff — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 12:52:00 -0800

; Credit: Alice Walton/KPCC

KPCC staff

California state Sen. Ron Calderon — a Democrat who represents several L.A. County communities including Montebello — was indicted, as was his brother Tom, on public corruption charges on Friday, Feb. 21.

Who are the people involved in this ongoing story? Here are short profiles of the key individuals so far, which will be updated as we get more information.

Ronald Calderon | CA state Sen. For California's 58th District

Served as assemblyman representing California's District 58 from 2002-2008, succeeding his brother Tom and preceding his other brother Charles
Offices were raided by FBI June 4, 2013
From Montebello, CA
Attended Montebello High School
Graduated from UCLA in 1980 with B.A. in Psychology [Vote Smart]
Attended Western State University of Law
Work history:
-- Mortgage banker
-- Real estate agent
-- Manufacturing manager [CA.gov]
Calif. State Senator from Los Angeles County (D-Montebello) representing 30th Senate District including cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Montebello, Whittier
Calderon chairs multiple Senate committees and panels on:
-- Insurance
-- Film and television
-- International business
-- Economy development
A member of:
-- Banking and Financial Institutions
-- The California Wine Industry
-- The Joint Committee on the Arts
-- The Environmental Quality Committee
-- The Governmental Organization Committee
-- The California Film Commission [CA.gov]
Previously under scrutiny for a legal defense fund that:
-- Was created to cover costs stemming from a 2006 vote recount
-- Was spent on golf, a fundraiser and private airplane service [L.A. Times]
-- Prompted new rules limiting use of such funds to attorneys’ fees and legal costs
Calderon family called "a political dynasty," spanning three decades. [L.A. Times]
Family members have held seats in Calif. legislature since 1983 [L.A. Times]
-- 2006: Ron joins Calif. State Senate; (replaced in Assembly by brother Charles)
-- 2012: Ian Calderon (son of Charles; nephew of Ron) elected to Calif. Assembly
-- Relatives and future relatives found on campaign payrolls [L.A. Times]
Since 2000, Calderon took more than twice the gifts of other legislators [Sac Bee]
-- Calderon took approximately $40,000 in lobbyists gifts
-- His wife took approximately $6,000 in gifts
-- Chief deputy/spokesperson Rocky Rushing took approximately $5,000 in gifts
Since 2000, the largest gifts came from:
-- The California Correctional Peace Officers Association
-- The Association Of California Life & Health Insurance
-- The California Independent Petroleum Association
-- Applied Materials, Inc.

Tom Calderon | Consultant, Brother of Ron Calderon

Consultant for the Central Basin Water District, where he was received more than $10,000 per month
Board Director for water management firm Water2Save, which was awarded lucrative contract by Central Basin Water District
Represented California 58th Assembly District from 1998-2002, when he was succeeded by his brother Ron Calderon
1993: Elected to the Montebello Unified School District Board of Education
1997: Elected president of the Montebello Unified School District Board of Education
2000: Appointed chairman of the Assembly Insurance Committee

Michael Drobot | Former owner of Long Peach's Pacific Hospital

Lives in Corona Del Mar
Owned Pacific Hospital from 1997 until Oct. 2013
Pacific Hospital has since been closed
Federal indictment alleges that he ran a health care fraud scheme involving spinal surgeries
Indictment alleges that he paid kickbacks for spinal surgery referrals
Federal officials allege Drobot bribed Ron Calderon to help keep a law in place to help perpetuate health care fraud, keep "spinal pass-through" legislation in place
"Spinal pass-through" legislation has since been repealed
Indictment alleges Drobot used shell companies to pass inflated costs of medical devices implanted during surgeries on to insurers
Drobot said in a plea agreement that he paid bribes to Ron Calderon
Faces up to 10 years in federal prison
Drobot agreed in plea agreement to cooperate with federal investigation, including in prosecution of Ron and Tom Calderon
Investigation has been named "Operation Spinal Cap."
Federal indictment alleges Drobot hired Ron Calderon's son as a bribe to work as a file clerk for three summers, and that the son only showed up for about 15 days of work each year
Officials allege Drobot also bribed Ron Calderon with plane trips, golf outings and expensive dinners

Darrell Steinberg | California Senate President pro Tempore

Democrat
Represents Sacramento in the state legislature
Graduated from UCLA with B.A. in economics [Senate bio]
Received law degree from UC Davis Law School
Worked as employee rights attorney for California State Employees Association
Served as administrative law judge, mediator
Served on Sacramento City Council from 1992-1998
Has served in the state legislature since 1998; served in the Assembly from 1999-2004, elected to the Senate in 2006
California state Senate majority leader since late 2008
Removed Ron Calderon from the California Film Commission after a sealed FBI affidavit leaked [KPCC]
Steinberg was named himself by Ron Calderon in the affidavit, asserting that he had influence with Steinberg
Attended a baseball game with Ron Calderon mentioned in FBI affidavit
Ron Calderon says the FBI asked him to secretly record Senate colleagues, including Steinberg [KPCC]
Has two children with wife Julie: daughter Jordana and son Ari

ANDRE BIROTTE | U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California

From Newark, N.J.
Sworn in as U.S Atty. for the Central District of California on Mar. 4, 2010. [Justice.gov]
Joined litigation firm of Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart, Oliver & Hedges
--Represented clients in white-collar crime and commercial litigation cases
Graduated Tufts University
Graduated Pepperdine University School of Law
Worked as a deputy public defender in Los Angeles
Joined U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1995
--Four years as as Assistant U.S. Attorney
Served as Inspector General of the Los Angeles Police Commission from 2003-2010
Member of the Langston Bar Association (1992-2003)
Member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Judicial Appointments Committee
Member of Criminal Justice Executive Committee
Taught legal writing and advocacy at the University of Southern California Law School
Judge pro tem for the Los Angeles Superior Court

MARK GERAGOS | Attorney for Ron Calderon

From Los Angeles, Calif.
Celebrity clients have included Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder, Chris Brown [Geragos.com]
Political clients include U.S. Congressman Gary Condit, Whitewater figure Susan McDougal
Earned his Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School
Attended Haverford College

Central Basin Water District | Public agency

Established in 1952
Became a member agency of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in 1954
Purchases imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Wholesales the imported water to 24 cities, mutual water companies, investor-owned utilities and private companies in southeast L.A. County
Supplies water used for groundwater replenishment
Provides region with recycled water for municipal, commercial and industrial use
Service area uses approximately 315,000 acre-feet of water annually (an acre-foot of water is approximately 326,000 gallons, enough to meet the water needs of two average families in and around their homes for one year)
Five board members include James Roybal (Board President), Robert Apodaca (Board Vice President & Representative to the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors), Art Chacon (Director), Leticia Vasquez (Director & Representative to the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors) & Phillip D. Hawkins (Director)
Service area includes over two dozen municipalities (Map)
The five Central Basin Directors appoint two representatives to the 37-member MWD Board of Directors

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A potential 2040 Los Angeles Metro subway system map

Mike Roe — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:49:00 -0800

Potential 2040 L.A. Metro map, based on existing plans and proposals with some creative license, designed by Nick Andert.; Credit: Nick Andert

Mike Roe

Los Angeles has long been notorious for being a car-based city — good luck getting around town using public transportation. While some manage to make a go of it between rail and buses, hobbyist designer Nick Andert put together a look at what the Metro system could look like with widespread political will, though Andert admits in his posts on Reddit that it might be more likely to see this kind of system in 40 years instead of 30.

Click here to see a full-sized version of the map.

The map has received continued attention, including a post Tuesday from the Washington Post. It's different than some earlier fantasy maps as Andert has tried to pay more attention to what he thinks is genuinely possible rather than a more idealized version of area rail.

"The lines on the map are extrapolated from Metro's concrete short-term plans and somewhat more vague long-term plans, along with a little guessing and creative license," Andert writes in an email to KPCC. "It's impossible to say, of course, how accurate this will actually prove to be when 2040 rolls around."

Andert says that the Metro ballot measure set for 2016 is the most likely way that this will happen, but whether voters will be receptive to the outlays for expanded rail remains to be seen. Until then, Andert's going to have to keep relying on the current destinations of his line of choice — the Red Line — to get him where he needs to go.

Another local mapmaker, Numan Parada, had a similar map go viral with designs inspired by the London tube system combined with the desires of where Angelenos wish they could get to in a more expedient fashion. Parada told the Los Angeles Times about that map, "While I don't sincerely think a system like this is realistic to build, I think it can give hope."

Unfortunately for L.A. residents who enjoy hopping on a train rather than hopping in a car, here's what the current system looks like:

Click here to see the full-sized version of the existing Metro map.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Covered California hosts enrollment workshops at LA libraries

Alice Walton — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 13:01:13 -0800

The branch library in Panorama City is just one library hosting enrollment workshops for Covered California. ; Credit: Alice Walton/KPCC

Alice Walton

With a looming deadline to get signed up for health insurance, officials around Los Angeles County hosted a number of enrollment events to encourage more participation in the Covered California health exchange.

Dozens lined up outside the Panorama City branch of the Los Angeles Public Library on Saturday to get help enrolling.

It was one of many libraries throughout the county that has partnered with Covered California to host enrollment workshops. Saturday was the deadline to sign up for health insurance that will take effect on March 1. Open enrollment ends on March 31 and anyone without insurance after that date could face a tax penalty.

That’s why Mayra Albarado showed up to the Panorama City branch library.

“I’ve been trying to apply since December, and it’s just difficult trying to get an agent to speak to you,” Albarado said. “It’s actually pretty difficult to talk to someone right now, too. But, I just don’t want to get charged the fees.”

The workshops are also intended to reach out to the Latino community. Latinos make up half of California’s uninsured, and Covered California needs them to enroll in order for the exchange to work. But according to statistics released by Covered California last month, just 20 percent of enrollees were people who described themselves as Latino.

"We’re in the process of both fine-tuning the way we assess our enrollment demographics and, more importantly, building on our focus to ensure that more Latinos apply for and enroll in coverage," Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee said in January. "We have much work to do over the next three months to build on our outreach to this important population and help those who have applied complete the process."

It’s not just Covered California that is concerned about Latinos’ enrollment numbers. Members of the Latino Caucus of state lawmakers have said Covered California needs to make greater efforts to reach out to the community. To that end, state Sen. Norma Torres introduced a bill that would expand the size of Covered California’ board and broaden its expertise.

"Covered California needs help improving its customer service, fixing technology glitches and enrolling a higher number of Latinos and young consumers," Torres said in a statement announcing the legislation. "Accountability starts at the top."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Weakened LAX shooting suspect Ciancia makes brief appearance at federal court downtown

KPCC staff & wires — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 16:57:10 -0800

This courtroom drawing shows Paul Ciancia during an appearance at the West Valley Detention Center wearing a bandage on his neck and with bruises on his face on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. ; Credit: Bill Robles/AP

KPCC staff & wires

Alleged LAX shooter Paul Ciancia made a brief appearance in a downtown L.A. federal court today for a status update. The 23-year-old is suspected of opening fire in an LAX lobby, killing TSA officer Gerardo Hernandez and injuring several others.

Ciancia's appointed attorney, Hilary L. Potashner, told the U.S. District judge that her client was under 100 pounds — too weak to be removed from the San Bernardino medical jail facility where he's been housed since November, City News Services reported.

Judge Philip S. Gutierrez ordered he be kept in San Bernardino, rather than the Los Angeles
federal detention center where he's expected to be held. According to the news service:

Gutierrez asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald when a death
penalty decision might be reached.

The prosecutor indicated it was up to Attorney General Eric Holder to
decide whether death is an appropriate penalty in the case, and no timetable
for that decision had been set.

Ciancia's scheduled to reappear again downtown on March 3rd for another status conference.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.