L.A. NOW

Man posing as magazine photographer accused of sexually assaulting four women [updated]

Carlos Lozano — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:23:16 -0800

A 22-year-old South Los Angeles man who posed as a Vibe magazine photographer is being investigated in connection with at least four sexual assaults of young women, whom he allegedly told he would hire as underwear models, Los Angeles police said today.

The crimes began in early October and took place within a one-mile radius of the subway station at 7th and Figueroa streets, said LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon.

Keith Nichols, a security guard who has lived in Compton, Hawthorne and South Los Angeles, told his victims that they could become models for Vibe, Vernon said. But before they could get hired, Nichols said he had to measure them for "custom-fitted underwear," according to police.

At least four women submitted to the examination, in which he allegedly used a measuring tape to carry out the ruse. He then touched "their most intimate body parts," and they never got called back about the modeling work, Vernon said.

Vernon said the women were measured in public areas out of the view of passersby. Nichols touched the women's bare breasts and groins with his hands but apparently did not take photographs, at least in the cases involving the four victims, police said.

In two cases, Nichols met his victims on the light-rail line between Long Beach and Los Angeles. Those two women, in turn, each had a roommate who they referred to Nichols, police said

[Updated, 11:15 p.m.: After police announced their probe of Nichols, another woman came forward and told investigators he approached her a couple of days ago on the North Hollywood subway. She didn’t take him up on the offer, Lt. Paul Vernon said.

Then managers from a downtown security company called police and said they had fired Nichols earlier in the year for using his security badge off duty. The caller said they thought he might be working as a security guard downtown for another security company, Vernon said.

"Given today's revelations, I suspect Thanksgiving might be a little awkward in the Nichols' house tomorrow," Vernon said. "Having the holiday to think on it, I hope Nichols drops into the Central Station Friday morning so we can clear it all up. The desk officers will be expecting him.]

--Andrew Blankstein and Robert Lopez

Photo credit: LAPD

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Man posing as magazine photographer accused of sexually assaulting four women

Andrew Blankstein — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:12:46 -0800

The crimes began in early October and took place within a one-mile radius of the subway station near 7th Street and Grand Avenue, said LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon.

Vernon said the women were measured in public areas out of the view of passersby. Nichols touched the women’s bare breasts and groins with his hands but apparently did not take photographs, at least in the cases involving the four victims, police said.

In two cases, Nichols met his victims on the light-rail line between Long Beach and Los Angeles. Those two women, in turn, each had a roommate who they referred to Nichols, police said

-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo credit: LAPD

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Fatal skid row shooting believed tied to narcotics dispute

Andrew Blankstein — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:29:37 -0800

Los Angeles police detectives said this morning that the fatal shooting of a woman on skid row may have been the result of a dispute over narcotics and that the victim's 23-year-old son was the original target.

Michelle Cato, 26, was arrested immediately after the shooting in the 500 block of San Julian Street near the LAPD Central Area police station.

LAPD Det. Paul Vernon said Cato and victim Sheila Zaldana, 46, lived in South Angeles and while on skid row got into a dispute that investigators believe involved drugs.

"Based on the suspect's criminal background, she was on parole for drug-related convictions, and not living on skid row, we suspect that narcotics was at the root of this dispute," Vernon said.

Moments before the shooting was reported at 3:40 p.m. Monday, Cato pointed a gun at Zaldana, "but the gun did not go off," Vernon said.

"As the suspect was walking away, she turned back and fired at the mother and the gun went off, the bullet striking her in the head," Vernon said.

Cato fled south on San Julian Street and then ran west on 6th Street, discarding the small-caliber handgun believed to be the murder weapon on the street, Vernon said.

As she neared the LAPD's Central Division station, with witnesses in pursuit, she ran into a police officer, who immediately detained her.

Vernon said the block where the shooting took place "has more cops and more cameras per square foot than any other block in the city."

--Andrew Blankstein

Charity Thanksgiving dinners, turkey giveaways planned for Southern California

Amanda Covarrubias — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:27:39 -0800

Several charity Thanksgiving dinners and turkey giveways are planned today in Southern California, highlighted by a dinner tonight hosted by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Cardinal Roger Mahoney for 600 Para Los Ninos children and their families at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Villaraigosa will also give out turkeys and groceries this morning as part of the Jackson Limousine Service’s 23rd annual turkey dinner giveaway. The event begins at 8 a.m. at 3669 W. Slauson Ave. and more than 10,000 people are expected to attend. A line formed outside overnight.

City Councilmen Dennis Zine and Bernard Parks are expected to be on hand as officials from three taxi companies -- Yellow Cab, City Cab and United Checker Cab -- announce plans to donate 200 turkeys to various food banks and charity organizations. Parks will also donate turkeys to 8th District residents from his office at 8475 S. Vermont Ave.

A Thanksgiving dinner is planned tonight at Los Angeles International Airport for more than 300 men and women serving in the armed forces. Ozzy Osbourne, boxer Carlos Palomino, Chivas USA goalkeeper Lane Parker and former Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo are expected to attend.

Through its Season of Sharing program, KTLA will be hosting a food drive today to collect 100,000 pounds of nonperishable food for L.A. and Orange counties. The drop-off locations are at participating Ralphs grocery stores and L.A. and Orange County fire departments. Last year, KTLA collected 87,500 pounds of food.

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: Quentella Robinson, 32 of Palmdale looks over her turkey she received at the 22nd annual Jackson Limousine Service Turkey Dinner Giveaway today. Robinson had been waiting in line since 5 p.m. Saturday. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Car crashes into Echo Park building, killing driver

Carla Rivera — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:40:51 -0800

A driver was killed and her passenger injured when her car struck another vehicle at a stop sign and then crashed into a brick building in Echo Park early today, police said.

The incident occurred about 2 a.m. in the 2200 block of Sunset Boulevard near Mohawk Street, said Los Angeles police Officer Karen Rayner. The driver, a woman, apparently lost control while trying to make a left turn at Mohawk. Her car hit the vehicle waiting at a stop sign, then careened into a building.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Her passenger, also a woman, was taken to a hospital in stable condition, Rayner said. The driver of the second car was treated for injuries and released at the scene, Rayner said.

-- Carla Rivera

Thousands line up for free Thanksgiving groceries near downtown L.A.

Stephanie Chavez — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:24:42 -0800

Thousands of people, some of whom camped out overnight, were lined up this morning outside of the L.A. Dream Center for a free bag groceries, including a 12-pound turkey, to prepare their Thanksgiving meal.

Pastor Matthew Barnett, founder of the center, led scores of volunteers in prayer before the food giveaway. Throughout the morning families were led into the center's parking lot, where they walked down four lines, collecting their turkey and a bag filled with dried potato flakes, canned peas and green beans.

Volunteers clapped and smiled as men, women and children collected their meals. Several people began standing at 2 p.m. Friday. "It's unprecedented," Barnett said. "We've never seen anything like that before." The center gave away about 1,800 turkeys.

Gloria Chica, 28, a housekeeper with little work, stood in line for several hours with her 3-year-old daughter.

"You know, lately some families don't have jobs and if you don't have a job, you can't have a Thanksgiving meal," she said. "But thankfully you can get one here." Chica said she had been cleaning three to four houses a month, but now goes weeks without work because her former employers have lost their jobs.

The center was founded in 1994, and has handed out food to needy families since then.

-- Ruben Vives

Man falls to death from downtown L.A. apartment

Seema Mehta — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:32:02 -0800

Police are investigating the death this morning of an elderly man who fell from his 10th-story apartment in the Alexandria Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Officers called to the 500 block of South Spring Street about 5:30 a.m. initially investigated the death as a suicide, said Officer April Harding, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department. A recent string of suicides in the area, the city’s Old Bank District, has confounded residents.

But coroner’s officials say the death appears to be accidental, and that a section of the fire escape outside the man’s apartment apparently gave way and was found on the sidewalk near the man’s body, according to Investigator Mario Sainz of the coroner’s office. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man’s name will not be released until relatives are notified, but Sainz described him as white and about 80 years old.

Attempts to reach officials with the Alexandria Hotel were unsuccessful. The hotel, once a glamorous magnet for Hollywood celebrities and American presidents, is now an apartment complex with low-income housing that recently underwent a major renovation.

A neighbor who lived below the man wrote on a downtown blog, “His body laying outside my window is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen.”

--- Seema Mehta

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L.A. cold-case detectives arrest man in 1982 murder

Amanda Covarrubias — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:58:04 -0800

More than 27 years after Hazel Hughes' body was found by her nephew inside her Koreatown apartment, Los Angeles cold-case detectives have arrested a suspect for capital murder.

Victor Alvarez was arrested and charged earlier this month for the Aug. 16, 1982, murder of Hughes at her apartment on 4th Street near Vermont Avenue. Alvarez sexually assaulted Hughes during a burglary at her apartment before killing her, prosecutors allege.

Because of those special allegations, prosecutors could pursue the death penalty against Alvarez.

Hughes, 65, was one of two women whose bodies were found inside the 60-unit apartment building within 12 hours. Alvarez is also being investigated in the killing of Cordella Ferguson, 67, whose body was found the same day as Hughes'.

Ferguson's body was found by a maid. Hughes was discovered by her nephew when relatives became concerned that the sickly woman, who used a wheelchair or walker, did not answer her telephone.

Hughes' apartment at the six-story building was ransacked during the break-in. Investigators plan to reveal at a news conference this afternoon how they identified Alvarez with the help of scientific evidence.

-- Richard Winton

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Delays expected on Metro Blue Line for track installation

Amanda Covarrubias — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:05:30 -0800

Metro Blue Line passengers will experience delays today and this weekend as crews install tracks that will connect the Blue Line and the Expo Line.

Delays of up to 40 minutes between Washington Station and 7th Street/Metro Center are expected from 9 a.m. today until the line closes Sunday night. Metro buses will provide service between Washington Station and 7th Street/Metro Center and will stop at San Pedro, Grand, Pico and the 7th Street/Metro Center stations.

The Metro Red and Purple lines will run on a regular basis.

This is the first of eight planned station closures over the next four months to allow construction work for the Expo Line, an 8.5-mile light-rail line that will connect downtown Los Angeles and Culver City.

Other closures will occur in January, February and March 2010. The Expo Line will share tracks and two stations with the Metro Blue Line along the Flower Street portion of the alignment.

-- Baxter Holmes

Authorities search for robbers who made a Gold Line getaway

Tony Barboza — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:14:07 -0800

Scarcely two days after its debut, the new Eastside leg of Los Angeles' rail system has already been used for more than commuting.

On Monday night, it was broken in as a getaway vehicle.

Authorities this morning are looking for more information about two robbers who swiped a cellphone and used the new train line to escape from Little Tokyo.

After snatching a woman's cellphone from an outside table at the Green Bamboo restaurant at Central Avenue and 2nd Street about 10:15 p.m. Monday, two men took off running toward the Little Tokyo / Arts District Station around the corner, said Los Angeles Police Det. Al Rasch.

The suspects, both Latino, boarded a train bound for Union Station, according to officials of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which patrols Metro stations.

The six-mile extension to the Gold Line, which runs from downtown to East Los Angeles, opened to the public Sunday to much fanfare, opening up new a new option for those dependent on public transit -- even thieves, apparently.

-- Tony Barboza

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Crowds applaud the inaugural ride of the Gold Line extension

Stephanie Chavez — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:17:05 -0800

Los Angeles County's latest light-rail line — the $898-million Gold Line extension through the Eastside — was dedicated Saturday morning at Union Station and a sparkling silver train full of dignitaries rolled out for the inaugural ride.

The six-mile extension of the line from downtown L.A. through Boyle Heights and into East Los Angeles opens to the public on Sunday, when passengers will be able to ride the entire length of the line to Pasadena for free. The Saturday event gave elected and transportation officials a chance to give speeches and laud the newest public transportation offering in the county.

At 9:30 a.m. sharp, the glimmering rail cars glided into the East L.A. Civic Center station, which sits in the middle of 3rd Street, where a crowd was assembled. As the train rolled into the station, it broke through a plastic black banner. Firecrackers rang and cannons blew out confetti.

"When I was on this train a few minutes ago, going through downtown and Boyle Heights, and here in East L.A., all the memories came back -- the memories of your boyhood, the memories as you go into manhood," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who grew up in Boyle Heights. "I'll tell you something: I couldn't be prouder of this community today."

Santino Hernandez, 28, who lives in Boyle Heights, was elated at the rail line, which has been under construction since 2004.

"We're happy it's finally here. We've been needing public transportation out here to connect us with Union Station," said Hernandez, a day laborer. "It's more dependable than the bus."

His wife, Celene, added that it would be easier to load their baby stroller carrying their 2-year-old son, Christopher, onto the rail line than the bus.

Mary Louise Sevilla, 67, a retiree who lives in East L.A., was worried about the safety of the Gold Line, as she eyed a child playing flag football across the street from the station at David Wark Griffith Middle School.

"Hopefully, the kids understand that they have to look both ways before they cross," she said. "You know how kids are."

There are eight stations along the route: Atlantic, East L.A. Civic Center, Maravilla, Indiana, Soto, Mariachi Plaza, Pico/Aliso and Little Tokyo Arts District. At Union Station, riders can continue onto the existing Gold Line, which winds its way toward Pasadena; transfer to the Red Line subway to Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley; ride the Purple Line, which ends in Koreatown; or connect to Metrolink trains that carry riders to neighboring counties.

On Sunday, the East L.A. Civic Center station will feature live music, a farmers market and activities for children. And, of course, mariachis will perform at the Mariachi Plaza station.

-- Baxter Holmes reporting from East Los Angeles

Battle over outdoor dining roils Larchmont Boulevard

Shelby Grad — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:59:41 -0800

When Larchmont Bungalow opened a couple of weeks ago, the “Artisan Cafe, Bakery and Brew” coffeehouse seemed a perfect fit for the tony neighborhood, with its exposed wooden beams, reconditioned hardwood floors and roasting coffee wafting through the airy space.

But there was just one problem — and it had everything to do with the chairs and tables where patrons sat, drank coffee and noshed on offerings such as red velvet pancakes and jerk chicken sliders.

Those chairs and tables, a group of residents says, threaten the very fabric of Larchmont Village because they transformed what had been permitted as a take-out restaurant into something vastly different.

Because the business offers patrons a place to sit and eat, they said, it knowingly violated a series of longstanding ordinances for the neighborhood known as “Q conditions,” which among other things limit the number of restaurants along the shopping district. Plans for the business showed retail and a bakery — but not tables and chairs.

The controversy underscores a long-simmering battle on the boulevard that Councilman Tom LaBonge, who represents the area, calls “our American Main Street.”

On the one side, longtime business owners and residents say they are worried about the fabric of the neighborhood, which has lost long-standing businesses over the last few years as developers have swooped in to buy property along the street. On the other are the owners of Larchmont Bungalow, including one of those such developers.

They say that they are trying to create a cozy neighborhood spot but have been flummoxed by rules that are arcane and confusing.

“We are not looking to pick apart the street,” said Ken Bernard, a partner in Larchmont Bungalow, along with Jonathan Ahrom and developer Albert Mizrahi. “We want to restore and preserve the neighborhood.”

Mizrahi, who owns four buildings along the boulevard, said he invested in the restaurant — and a nearby yogurt store, which is under construction — after being unable to attract clothing retailers in the midst of the economic downturn.

A native Angeleno, he said he was charmed by Larchmont and its customers.

“I saw this as the neighborhood’s living room,” he said. “I only have the best interests for the street.”

But longtime business owners say that isn’t so.

They say he has drastically raised rents on many of his tenants, forcing them out of business, which, as the downturn kicked in, left the street with glaring vacancies.

When Larchmont Bungalow was going through the permitting process, the city Department of Building and Safety worried that the Q conditions might be difficult to enforce, said Bob Steinbach, a spokesman for the department, so they asked Mizrahi, on behalf of the business, to sign an affidavit saying, among other things, that Larchmont Bungalow would not provide seating.

According to several people, it was the first time that a business had been required to sign such an affidavit. Mizrahi acknowledges signing the affidavit.

But he said that they had been told by officials that it was common practice for businesses along the boulevard to agree to being a take-out space but also offer seating, and he believed others had signed similar documents. In addition, Bernard said, they did not offer table service — a crucial difference in definitions.

Councilman LaBonge said that the owners of Larchmont Bungalow “went out of their way to challenge the integrity of the public process,” which included a series of public hearings before they opened. And almost as soon as the business opened, angry residents organized picketing outside.

“We thought, we have to do something to draw attention to this issue, and to encourage the city that we feel strongly about the enforcement of zoning restrictions on Larchmont,” said one of the group’s organizers, Patricia Lombard.

The Building and Safety Department did respond to their pleas, citing the restaurant, ordering the owner to stop the unapproved use of a restaurant with seating, and serving notice that they intended to revoke Larchmont Bungalow’s permit to operate.

Larchmont Bungalow’s owners responded by appealing the revocation. And they tried a slightly novel response as well, putting up signs inside and outside that offered the very furniture where patrons sat for sale — thus turning themselves back into a retail establishment. “You See It? You Like It?” asked one sign.

“You Buy It!” Another promised a “Blowout sale: Buy a chair and get a lobster free.”

Chairs were tagged for $299 each, tables for $499. A high-chair had a $299 tag; an old vintage stove, $12,999. Bernard said earlier this week that they had already sold two tables and six chairs, which were originally purchased at a Smith & Hawken liquidation sale.

—Cara Mia Di Massa

Photo: Tables and chairs outside Larchmont Bungalow are tagged for sale.

Credit: Richard DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times

Slaying suspect broke through back window as police kept watch in front, sources say [Updated]

Shelby Grad — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:32:02 -0800

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating how a woman who had filed a domestic abuse report was slain in her Mid-City apartment late Wednesday night as officers were watching it while on the lookout for the suspect.

According to LAPD sources, the chain of events began when the unidentified woman went to the Wilshire Division police station to report that she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Officers who specialize in domestic violence talked to the woman and, at some point, drove her back to her home near Cochran Avenue and Pico Boulevard. Law enforcement sources said the officers went into the apartment with the woman to make sure the suspect was not there. They thoroughly checked the apartment and then went to their car.

The officers decided to keep watch on the street, worried that the suspect might come to cause trouble, sources said. Police believe the man sneaked into the apartment through a small back window, sources said, possibly scaling the roof to get there. The sources spoke on the condition that they not be named because LAPD policy does not allow public comments on open cases.

The officers heard the woman's screams, ran into the apartment and saw a man stabbing the woman. They opened fire, fatally wounding the attacker.

He and the woman were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where they later died.

[Updated at 4:51 p.m. LAPD Capt. Eric Davis said at a news conference this afternoon at the Wilshire Division station that the officers went beyond the call of duty in their attempts to protect the woman.

“The fact is, we're talking about a horrible tragedy — domestic violence. And in this instance, domestic violence has reared its ugly head in the worst form and we have the tragic murder,” Davis said.]

Neighbors described the victim as a friendly woman with a 3-year-old daughter who had moved in a few months ago.

A neighbor said she was walking about midnight Wednesday from her father’s home on Pico Boulevard to her apartment on South Cochran Avenue when she heard screams. When she got closer, she saw two officers running upstairs to the apartment where the victim lived. The officers were screaming, “Open the door! Open the door!” the witness told The Times.

“They were trying so bad to get in because I think they were watching through the window what was going on,” the witness said.

Another neighbor said the woman had been planning a birthday party for her daughter. “I care a lot for that little girl,” she said.

—Andrew Blankstein, Baxter Holmes and My-Thuan Tran

More photos: Stabbing and officer-involved shooting leave two dead

Photo: A woman who identified herself as a friend of the female victim weeps while talking on a phone. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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LAPD probes how woman under police protection was slain with officers nearby

Shelby Grad — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:23:59 -0800

[See update: Slaying suspect broke through back window as police kept watch in front, sources say]

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating how a woman under the department's protection after she filed a domestic abuse report was slain at her Mid-City apartment as officers were outside.

The officers heard her screams, ran into the apartment and saw a man stabbing the woman. They opened fire, fatally wounding the attacker.

According to LAPD sources, the chain of events began Wednesday night when the unidentified woman came to the Wilshire Division to report that she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Officers who specialize in domestic violence talked to the woman and at some point drove her back to her home near Cochran Avenue and Pico Boulevard.

The victim went inside her apartment, and the officers remained outside, according to the sources, who spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity because the case is continuing. It's unclear whether the officers escorted the woman into the apartment and exactly how and when the attacker got inside, LAPD officials said.

Inside, the officers found a man stabbing the woman. The officers began shooting at the man, and he and the woman were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where they later died.

The man died of gunshot wounds and the woman from stab wounds, said Officer Bruce Borihanh of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Wilshire Division homicide detectives are conducting an investigation into the attack, and the officer-involved shooting is being investigated internally, authorities said.

-- Andrew Blankstein, Baxter Holmes and My-Thuan Tran

Photos: LAPD investigators at the scene of the incident. At right, a woman who identified herself as a friend of the victim weeps while talking on a phone. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Two die in Mid-City stabbing and officer-involved shooting

Amanda Covarrubias — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:27:43 -0800

[See update: Slaying suspect broke through back window as police kept watch in front, sources say]

A man and a woman are dead this morning after a stabbing and officer-involved shooting in Mid-City, authorities said.

The incident started near midnight in the 1300 block of Cochran Avenue near Pico Boulevard after a woman visited a nearby police station to make a domestic violence report. After she made her report, officers took her back to her apartment and waited outside in a patrol car filling out a crime report. They heard screaming, and someone approached their vehicle and said an attack was in progress.

Inside, they found a man stabbing the woman. The officers began shooting at the man, and both he and the woman were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where they later died.

The man died of gunshot wounds and the woman from stab wounds, said Officer Bruce Borihanh of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Wilshire Division homicide detectives are conducting an investigation into the attack, and the officer-involved shooting is being investigated internally, authorities said.

-- Baxter Holmes and Andrew Blankstein

Photos: LAPD investigators at the scene of the incident. At right, a woman who identified herself as a friend of the victim weeps while talking on a phone. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Woman killed in Mid-City domestic violence incident

Amanda Covarrubias — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:19:32 -0800

A woman is dead and another person wounded in a domestic violence incident in Los Angeles's Mid-City district.

The incident occurred near midnight in the 1300 block of Cochran Avenue near Pico Boulevard, and police officers and firefighters responded, said LAPD Officer Gregory Baek.

There weren’t any immediate details available on what occurred, Baek said.

Two people were taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, including an unidentified woman who was later pronounced dead, said L.A. County Coroner’s Lt. Brian Elias.

There were no immediate details on the other person.

-- Baxter Holmes

Backlash over report showing big drop in L.A.'s homeless population

Shelby Grad — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:45:17 -0800

An L.A. County report showing a 38% drop in the homeless population has been met with consternation by the region’s homeless providers, who say the findings are inaccurate and could cost them funding at a time when the need is great.

The homeless providers have written op-ed articles, public letters, blog postings and tweets — all taking issue with the census, conducted over three days in January, which showed the number of homeless people in the region had dropped 68,808 in 2007 to 42,694.

The change shown in the report, by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, seems puzzling to some because it comes in the midst of a recession, when people across the region have lost their homes.

“I wouldn’t call it a criticism of the count,” said David Snow, executive director of Upward Bound House, a Santa Monica-based agency that focuses on homeless families and low-income seniors. “I would say there was surprise and shock at the numbers.

"They seem so contradictory to what we as service providers are seeing from the front lines.” Of particular issue, said several homeless providers, was a part of the survey that said the number of homeless family members was down from 16,000 in 2007 to about 5,000 this year.

“We’ve been describing an overwhelming tsunami of families” seeking services, said Andy Bales, president of Union Rescue Mission. “There’s no way that anybody who works with families would agree with [those numbers]. ... I was expecting a recant of those published numbers by now, but apparently they are going to dig in and hold on to that.”

The census was conducted in January by more than 3,000 volunteers. It was overseen by demographers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Counts were conducted in randomly selected census tracts, which included what the authority considered “hot-spot” and “non-hot-spot” areas. In addition, 16 cities conducted complete counts of all the tracts within their boundaries. In all, homeless people were counted in 754 of the 2,054 census tracts in the county, said Michael Arnold, executive director of the Homeless Services Authority.

In addition, the group did inventories of each shelter in the counted areas, on the same night that volunteers were out on the street, and made more than 28,000 phone calls to track populations that might not be counted in the street count — people living in unconverted garages. Arnold defended the count – noting that, despite the outcry, no one has found problems with the way the count was conducted.

“Really, it’s a very small number of agencies who have raised a cry, and most of them are family providers. ... I think a lot of their hue and cry is anecdotally based, not data based. They are spreading disinformation.” Since the criticism by the homeless providers, Arnold and the demographers have gone back over the numbers, he said.

But in every instance, the numbers track, he said. Arnold said that on the night of the count, family emergency shelters were 91% occupied, and family transitional housing programs were 77% full. Indeed, a drop in the population of homeless people in Los Angeles could make fundraising more difficult for some homeless providers, especially those who rely on public acknowledgment of the homeless problem as a key part of their appeals.

Snow said that donations to his organization have not flagged since the Homeless Services Authority report came out. But, he said, he worried that the report promotes a perception that homelessness has been solved -- and that, in the midst of an already difficult economic climate, “we’ll start seeing a reallocation of already diminished resources.”

-- Cara Mia DiMassa

Photo: Police on L.A.'s skid row. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

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L.A. Marathon unveils Stadium to the Sea route

Amanda Covarrubias — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:44:46 -0800

The L.A. Marathon’s Stadium to the Sea route that was unveiled today will take runners from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica while passing several Los Angeles landmarks.

Runners in the 25th edition of the 26.2-mile race will wind through downtown, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, passing by L.A. City Hall, the Capitol Records Building, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive and the Santa Monica Pier.

Registration for the March 21, 2010, marathon is $125. Runners are asked to park near the finish line in Santa Monica and to take shuttle buses bound for Dodger Stadium.

-- Baxter Holmes

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Pomona man arrested in fatal shooting may be linked to two other deaths [Updated]

Amanda Covarrubias — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:05:12 -0800

A suspect arrested in the shooting death of a Pomona man may be linked to two bodies found Saturday in the Mt. Baldy area and Chino, according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

Robert Louis Caballero, 32, of Pomona, was arrested Saturday after leading police on a short chase when he refused to pull over for a minor traffic stop. He was detained on suspicion of murder in the Sept. 29 shooting of Armando Vidana, 25, of Pomona.

But authorities believe Caballero may be connected to two other deaths discovered Saturday -- a man in Chino and a woman in the Mt. Baldy area. Information gathered after the pursuit led detectives to the bodies, and the Sheriff’s Department is working with the Pomona and Chino police departments, said Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Department.

The body of David Arthur Padilla Jr., 29, of El Monte, was found at 11:55 a.m. Saturday under a freeway pass in the 3800 block of Walnut Avenue in Chino, according to a San Bernardino County coroner’s statement. There were signs of upper body trauma, the statement said.

The body of Lorraine Minjarz, 32, of Covina, was found at 4 p.m. at the 1.34 mile marker on Mt. Baldy Road, according to information from the Sheriff’s Department and the L.A. County coroner’s office. There was no immediate word on what caused Minjarz's death, said coroner’s investigator Richard Hanna.

Caballero is being held at Twin Towers jail in downtown Los Angeles with no bail on a charge of felony evading.

[Updated at 10:36 a.m.: The Padilla and Minjarz killings are not gang-related, L.A. County sheriff’s officials said. In September, police said Vidana’s death was gang-related.]

-- Richard Winton and Baxter Holmes

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Freight train derails near Union Station, disrupting several commuter lines

Amanda Covarrubias — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:15:30 -0800

A Union Pacific freight train derailed near Union Station this morning, disrupting several Riverside commuter trains.

Officials do not yet know what caused three of the 104 cars to derail about 1:30 a.m., said Metrolink spokesman Francisco Oaxaca. No injuries were reported, he said.

The derailment blocked two tracks on the east side of the Los Angeles River near 9th Street, Oaxaca said. Metrolink train 401 leaving Riverside at 4:42 a.m. and the 403 train leaving at 5:42 a.m. were scheduled to go only as far as the Montebello-Commerce station, he said.

Buses will be at that station to take passengers to Union Station. Riverside lines 405 and 407 will travel to Union Station but will be delayed 30 to 60 minutes. Metrolink suggests passengers consider taking the 91 or San Bernardino lines as alternatives in order to avoid the delays caused by the derailment.

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: A Metrolink train passes through as crews work on clearing the railway lines after a Union Pacific freight train derailment near Union Station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD makes urgent appeal to public for tips on a serial kidnapper targeting young girls west of downtown L.A. [Updated]

Shelby Grad — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:00:18 -0800

The Los Angeles Police Department put out an urgent plea today for the public's help in finding a serial kidnapper believed responsible for abducting and attempting to sexually assault at least four young girls.

The incidents have occurred over the last year in neighborhoods west of downtown Los Angeles, and in some cases the assailant has taken photos of his victims. [Updated at 6:08 p.m.: An earlier version of this post said the incidents occurred in neighborhoods east of downtown Los Angeles.]

The kidnapper allegedly lured the girls into apartment buildings and attempted to sexually assault them in secluded areas, police said.

Det. Monica Cross said the assailant gained entry to the apartment buildings by waiting for residents to leave.

"He has an appetite for young girls," said acting LAPD Chief Michael Downing.

The latest case occurred Wednesday when the assailant lured a girl walking to school near the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Commonweath Avenue.

Dubbed by police as the "Spikey Hair Sexual Assault Suspect," the assailant is described as a Latino man between 25 and 45 years old, 5 feet 6, weighing 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

—Andrew Blankstein and Richard Winton

Donald Sterling to pay $2.725 million to settle housing discrimination lawsuit [Updated]

Shelby Grad — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:54:07 -0800

Los Angeles Clippers owner and real estate mogul Donald T. Sterling has agreed to pay a record $2.725 million to settle allegations that he discriminated against African Americans, Hispanics and families with children at scores of apartment buildings he owns in and around Los Angeles.

The settlement, which must be approved by U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer, is the largest ever obtained by the Justice Department in a housing discrimination case involving apartment rentals, officials said.

If approved, the settlement would also resolve a pair of lawsuits by former tenants of Sterling who alleged they were discriminated against because of their race.

[Updated at 1:10 p.m.: In the court documents describing the agreement, Sterling and his wife, Rochelle, deny any wrongdoing. They describe the agreement as "a compromise of disputed claims" and not an admission of any liability.]

Under the agreement, Sterling and his wife would pay $2.625 million to a fund for people who were harmed by their discriminatory practices, officials said. They would also pay a $100,000 penalty to the government.

“The magnitude of this settlement demonstrates our commitment to vigorously prosecute violations of the Fair Housing Act,” Thomas E. Perez, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “With tight mortgage credit and rising foreclosures, it is more important than ever that minorities not face discrimination when renting apartments.”

The Justice Department sued the Sterlings three years ago, accusing them of favoring Korean tenants while seeking to exclude blacks and families with children. Through their Beverly Hills Properties, the Sterlings own and manage about 119 apartment buildings with some 5,000 units in Los Angeles County, according to the Justice Department.

In court filings, Justice Department lawyers presented evidence that the Sterlings made statements “indicating that African Americans and Hispanics were not desirable tenants and that they preferred Korean tenants” occupy buildings they owned in Koreatown.

Had the case gone to trial, an expert would have testified that an analysis of the Sterlings' rental practices in Koreatown revealed that they rented to far fewer African Americans and Hispanics than would be expected, based on demographics. As part of the settlement, the Sterlings will be required to pay for an independent contractor to monitor their employees' compliance with the Fair Housing Act over the next three years. The results of the tests would be reported to the Sterlings and to the government.

-- Scott Glover

Photo: Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling at a game. Credit: Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times

Prosecutors won't charge LAPD officers in immigration march melee at MacArthur Park [Updated]

Shelby Grad — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:17:08 -0700

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office announced today it would not file criminal charges against any LAPD officers for their actions during the 2007 May Day melee at MacArthur Park.

Prosecutors said in a statement that after a lengthy review, there was insufficient evidence to prove any officer violated the law when using force, although some might have used "questionable tactics."

They described the incident as "unfortunate and preventable" but said that the office was "closing our file and will take no further action in this matter."

Last year, Police Chief William J. Bratton said he planned to discipline 11 officers and called for the termination of four others for their roles in the melee in which police were accused of using excessive force to clear immigration rights demonstrators and journalists.

LAPD officers were videotaped wielding batons and shooting rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse a largely peaceful crowd. A scathing internal investigation into the incident blamed poor leadership and overly aggressive tactics by officers in the field.

Earlier this year, the Los Angeles City Council agreed to pay nearly $13 million to people injured or mistreated in the melee.

Under the settlement, the department must submit to court oversight of its crowd-control procedures -- another layer of federal involvement that comes as LAPD leaders are impatient to be free of a longstanding and more onerous monitoring program imposed after the Rampart Division corruption scandal.

[Updated at 12:32 p.m.: Prosecutors reviewed an extensive LAPD investigation into 30 officers that including 7,500 pages of documents.

Prosecutors said that the series of events led to actions by officers against "both violent protesters and nonviolent protesters and media personnel."

"The media had innocently and unwittingly positioned themselves in an area directly in the path of officers attempting to clear the park," the report noted. However, prosecutors noted, "not every push or shove amounts to excessive force We cannot establish that any particular officer's actions were unreasonable or without lawful necessity in light of the tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving circumstances."

Prosecutors added that identity "is a factor which must be proven beyond reasonable doubt."

The LAPD officers union praised the decisions. Union President Paul Weber said the distict attorney's review "sought only truth and justice, and was not influenced by any political agenda."]

-- Richard Winton and Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Police at MacArthur Park during May Day protest in 2007. Credit: Los Angeles Times file.

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Preparations for LAPD gala block downtown traffic lane, close sidewalks

Seema Mehta — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:35:20 -0700

Downtown denizens who thought the high fences and blocked sidewalks and traffic lanes at the new LAPD headquarters were a memory now that the building (and its, um, interesting public artwork) is complete were wrong.

To prepare for the True Blue gala, a benefit for the Los Angeles Police Foundation, a lane of Spring Street has been shut down, and sidewalks along Spring and 2nd streets are off-limits.

The gala, which will be held Nov. 7, will commemorate the LAPD’s 140-year history and pay tribute to departing Chief William Bratton. About 800 people are expected at the event, which will take over the entire city block, including the grassy one-acre park, which has been tented with a large white canopy.

Intended to invoke the 1940s and the famed Cocoanut Grove nightclub, the event will by emceed by "Tonight Show" host Conan O’Brien. Guests will nosh on cuisine from Wolfgang Puck and tour the 11-story headquarters. The $5,000 table sponsorships are sold out, but pricier packages are still available, up to the $100,000 platinum star sponsor package. Individual tickets go for $600.

-- Seema Mehta

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Seema Mehta — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:31:35 -0700

Police this morning are searching for a suspect in the fatal shooting of a man in the Rampart area, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Officers responded to a call about 11:30 p.m. Thursday of gunshots fired at Alexandria Avenue and Clinton Street, said Lt. Darryl Ito. They found a man 25 to 30 years old with a gunshot wound in his chest. The man, whose name was not released, died at a hospital.

Ito said one possible suspect was taken into custody overnight, but police are still seeking another suspect.

-- Seema Mehta

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