Many L.A. Latinos live in neighborhoods with few whites, study says

Many Latinos in the Los Angeles area continue to live in ethnic enclaves with few whites as neighbors, according to a study by Brown University researchers.

Latinos in other metropolitan areas are more likely than Southern California Latinos to live in integrated neighborhoods. Nationwide, residential integration has increased significantly in the last decade for Puerto Ricans and South Americans, with lesser increases for Cubans, Central Americans and Mexicans.

The study by John Logan and Richard Turner, called “Hispanics in America: Not Only Mexicans,” used census data to track Latino populations from 1990 to 2010.

For Latinos in Southern California, it is easy to find clusters of fellow Mexicans, Salvadorans or Guatemalans. The Los Angeles area continues to lead the nation in residents of Mexican and Central American origin, though its relative share of those ethnic groups has declined.

In the 1990 census, 19% of respondents of Mexican origin lived in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area. In 2010, the number of Los Angeles-area Mexicans had increased from 2.5 million to 3.5 million, but they represented only 11% of the nationwide total.

Illegal immigrants should have health coverage, foundation says

The California Endowment is launching a campaign to extend medical coverage to all uninsured state residents, including undocumented immigrants.

An estimated 3 million to 4 million Californians, or about 10% of the state’s population, could remain uninsured even after the national healthcare overhaul takes full effect in January.

According to a recent UC Berkeley report, about a quarter of those left uninsured will be undocumented immigrants, who are excluded from benefits under the Affordable Health Care Act.  Nearly three-quarters will be U.S. citizens or green-card holders, who already qualify for Medi-Cal but don't receive it, or who won't be able to afford the new subsidized policies.

The California Endowment, a private foundation that advocates for affordable healthcare, suggests that county-run Medicaid expansion programs called Low-Income Health Programs be retooled to provide insurance for this population.

If not everyone is covered, the result will be higher overall healthcare costs, the foundation said.

ALSO:

Bell corruption trial: Illness forces jurors to be sent home

California earthquake: Hundreds of aftershocks, more expected

Four arrested after motorcycle marriage proposal on 10 Freeway

-- Cindy Chang

Photo: An undocumented citizen from Mexico is connected to a dialysis machine at the St. Joseph Hospital Renal Center in Orange, where she receives dialysis three times a week. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

11 alleged illegal immigrants rescued from boat off Point Loma

Eight women and three men, all suspected illegal immigrants, were rescued in a boat adrift off San Diego's Point Loma after one of the women made a 911 emergency call.

One of the women is pregnant, authorities said.

The Coast Guard and Border Patrol responded to the call, which occurred at 2 a.m. Tuesday. The boat, whose motor had failed, was found three hours later about three miles from shore.

The 11 were taken into custody

ALSO:

Couple allegedly killed by teen driver identified

Suspects sought in Rancho Palos Verdes home invasion robbery

LAUSD to pay Miramonte victims $30 million; teacher due in court

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

L.A. population will be much older, more settled, study says

The future of Los Angeles will be a grayer one, as aging boomers, slowing immigration and shrinking birthrates radically change the face of the county, a new study from USC predicts.

Seventeen years from now, senior citizens will make up nearly one-fifth of the county population, almost twice as many as at the start of the millennium, say Dowell Myers and John Pitkin of the USC Population Dynamics Research Group.

At the same time, the number of births will fall as families choose to have fewer children, the study predicts. Birthrates are already dwindling because immigration has plunged, sharply reducing the flow of newcomers who historically have had bigger families.

BEYOND 7 BILLION: World population explosion

The predicted result is fewer young workers to care for the growing ranks of the elderly – a trend that could pinch pocketbooks for families and the government.

The study predicts that over the next two decades, Los Angeles County will gain 867,000 senior citizens and lose 630,000 people younger than 25. A similar trend is underway nationwide but Los Angeles stands out because the shift comes after its earlier explosion in immigration and growth, Myers said.

“Los Angeles County is the most extreme example in California, and probably in the country” of the radical changes in population makeup to come nationally, he said. “Everything’s changed in California because we’re losing kids – and ground zero is Los Angeles County.”

Three years ago, senior citizens accounted for roughly 20 of every 100 adults of working age in Los Angeles County. Senior citizens are expected to account for 36 of every 100 adults in less than two decades.

By the middle of the century, the researchers predict, Los Angeles County will have more senior citizens per worker than California or the country as a whole – a reversal from where it stands today. Between Social Security, Medicare, pensions and other needs, “a lot is riding on the shoulders and wallets of the new generation of young adults,” the report said.

Experts have warned that governments across the country should prepare for the coming tide of the elderly. Growing demand for medical care will hit hospitals and state programs. Buses and walkable neighborhoods will be in demand for senior citizens who can no longer get behind the wheel. And a generation of smaller families will face new pressures as fewer adults try to provide for their aging parents.

How secure is the U.S.-Mexico border? [Video discussion]

How secure is the U.S.-Mexico border?

That is the question addressed by a front-page article published in Sunday's Los Angeles Times. At 2:30 p.m. Monday, The Times will hold a video chat on the subject.

Times reporters wrote:

Obama administration officials claim the frontier is more secure than ever, benefiting from the billions of taxpayer dollars spent on border defenses. There are 18,500 U.S. Border Patrol agents on the U.S.-Mexico border now, compared with 3,222 in 1986. Barriers have been built along nearly 700 miles. In 1986, most of the frontier was wide open.

Arrests of migrants have hovered around 350,000 per year recently, the lowest level since the 1970s. Falling crime rates in border communities make them some of the safest in the country. Authorities have regained control of once-trampled areas, opening the way for new subdivisions, shopping centers and industrial parks.

"We have gone above and beyond what was requested by the very Republicans who said they supported broader reform as long as we got serious about enforcement," said President Obama during a trip to the border at El Paso in 2011. "All the stuff they asked for, we've done."

But critics consider some recent gains illusory. Migrant flows have receded overall because of the lack of jobs in the U.S. The true test will come when the economy improves, they say.

Arab American exhibit on display in Little Tokyo

A traveling exhibit highlighting often forgotten Arab immigrants is  being displayed in Little Tokyo, sharing the work of a community and its contributions to history since the American Revolution.

"Patriots and Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country" takes center stage at the Japanese American National Museum through April 14. It tells the stories of everyday life, religion and family, honoring a people who now total nearly 4 million across the United States.

"This is a way of bringing cultures together, people together, under one society in which we all live. We share so much in common, both Arab and Japanese communities, it's a good pairing," says Janis Tanji Wong, the museum's director of marketing and communications.

The show, culled from the Arab American National Museum in Michigan, last appeared at UC Irvine.

It's the result of four years of research and hundreds of interviews, with an emphasis on those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, the Peace Corps and in diplomatic posts.

Arab Americans fought and died in every U.S. war, defending the Constitution and democracy. A selection of patriots with California roots may interest local visitors, and personal narratives in the multimedia exhibit reveal their different backgrounds. For viewers, one of the questions the show asks is how commitment to military service can affect their daily lives.

"It's important for those going to the exhibit to understand the diversity that Arab Americans represent," Wong said. "We hope to launch more cultural programs together."

ALSO:

Las Vegas Strip shooting suspect is a pimp, sources say

Funds set up for familes of slain Santa Cruz police officers

TV anchor's disappearance is 'private family matter,' sheriff says

-- Anh Do

Twitter: @newsterrier

 

L.A. Votes: Candidates woo voters, slam rivals and raise money

With less than two weeks to go before Election Day in Los Angeles, candidates for mayor, City Council and city attorney are working overtime to sway undecided voters, ding their opponents and raise funds.

Mayoral candidate Jan Perry is making a hard play in the San Fernando Valley, promoting herself as a fiscal conservative while launching blistering attacks on City Controller Wendy Greuel. But it’s an open question whether the councilwoman can offset Greuel’s home-base advantage and fundraising edge.

Perry announced the endorsement of community leader and former city Library Commission President David A. Lehrer, while Greuel got the nod of a number of business leaders across the city.

L.A. ELECTIONS 2013: Sign up for our email newsletter

In the City Council races, Gov. Jerry Brown backed former state legislator Gil Cedillo in the 1st district in Central L.A., Ana Cubas won the endorsement of La Opinion in the 9th District in South Los Angeles, and Matt Szabo received the support of Southern California Americans for Democratic Action in the 13th District that includes Hollywood.

On the mailbox battlefront, mayoral candidate Kevin James is hitting Greuel over a $50,000 donation from former, unpopular Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to the independent committee backing her bid. And Greuel is using James in a fundraising appeal that warns “Right-wing extremists are getting involved in the Mayor’s race. I need your help today.”

Mayoral candidate and councilman Eric Garcetti plans to hold an afternoon press conference at City Hall to tout his efforts on behalf of undocumented immigrants, while long-shot candidate Emanuel Pleitez will lay out his immigration platform at a morning news conference in Boyle Heights.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

Meanwhile, the candidates remain focused on a less obvious but vital facet of campaigning — raising cash.

Greuel will be the beneficiary of a Wednesday evening fundraiser at the Beverly Hills home of billionaire media mogul Haim Saban that will features an appearance by U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). Garcetti will pick up some checks at a foodie-focused fundraiser at the Petersen Automotive Museum, featuring small bites from the likes of chefs John Sedlar of Rivera and Jiro Kobayashi of Sushi Roku. And a novelty in the city attorney's contest — Noel Weiss, who has until now eschewed raising or spending money, will hold his first fundraiser this weekend.

ALSO:

Grapevine on Interstate 5 closed due to ice

O.C. shootings: Killings occurred during morning routines

Mystery surrounds woman's body found in hotel water tank

— Seema Mehta

Comments, questions or tips on city elections? Tweet me at @LATSeema

Graphic: A map plotting past L.A. mayoral voting patterns. Credit: Ben Welsh / Los Angeles Times

Greuel, Garcetti spar over controller audits on air and in mail

Another day, another television ad, attack mailer and news conference in Los Angeles’ mayoral race.

Wendy Greuel is on the air Tuesday with a new 30-second spot touting her work as the city’s controller, highlighting audits that found that millions of dollars' worth of city gas was missing, and more taxpayer funds were spent on free cellphones and luxury travel for city employees.

“The waste I found could have paid to keep our libraries open, and fund millions of dollars for after-school programs,” she says, speaking directly into the camera. “As a parent with a child in our public schools, I’ll be a mayor for all of L.A. -– every school, every child.”

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

It’s Greuel’s second television advertisement, and comes three weeks from election day. Greuel, seen as a front-runner in the race, is being bombarded by attacks from council members Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry, as well as attorney Kevin James and former tech executive Emanuel Pleitez.

Garcetti's campaign said the new ad was misleading.

“Once again, Ms. Greuel's numbers just don't add up,” Garcetti spokesman Jeff Millman said in a written statement. “…. The audits she mentions in her ad have not recovered any money for the city.  In fact, the city has only recovered $239,000 from all of Greuel's audits combined since 2009. This is far less than the millions she cites in the ad, and would have a negligible impact on library and after school funding.”

Garcetti on Tuesday sent out his first negative mailer in the race, pressing his contention that Greuel is overstating her accomplishments in office. Greuel “Can’t Get Her Numbers Straight,” the mailer says. “L.A. Can’t Afford A Mayor Who Puts Personal Ambition Above The Truth.”

Greuel campaign manager Rose Kapolczynski said the attacks showed that Greuel had momentum in the race and were signs of desperation by Garcetti. The waste and abuse Greuel found happened under Garcetti’s watch, and still must be spotlighted even if they money can’t be recouped, she added.

“Through 77 audits, Wendy Greuel has identified more than $160 million in waste, fraud, abuse. Unfortunately, most of this money is gone forever, wasted while the City Council sat idly by,” Kapolczynski said. “Eric Garcetti must believe that waste, fraud and abuse is fine if it happened in the past. If we apply that logic to policing, no robbery would ever be investigated if the goods weren't recovered.”

Chino Hills gets court judgment against alleged maternity hotel

The owner of an alleged “maternity hotel” in Chino Hills has agreed to shut down and to fix all building code violations.

The city of Chino Hills had already obtained an injunction to stop the hotel from operating, and the property appeared to be vacant, according to city officials.

City officials alleged that the hilltop mansion on Woodglen Drive was illegally subdivided into 17 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms.  A massive sewage spill in September appeared to be caused by an overloaded septic system. The hotel allegedly housed women from China who traveled to the United States to give birth.

A group called Not in Chino Hills was formed to protest the alleged hotel and other birth tourism operations in the area.

In a stipulated judgment filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court on Feb. 11, Hai Yong Wu of Los Angeles Hermas Inc. agreed to cease operating a business in a residential zone. He also agreed to remedy all code violations, including exposed electrical wiring and a lack of smoke alarms, before reoccupying the property.    

ALSO:

Dorner gun battle: 2 officers shot, 'deputies are everywhere'    

2 officers hurt in Big Bear shootout with Dorner, officials say    

Christopher Dorner in gun battle with authorities, source says

--Cindy Chang

Photo: Molly Welch,  right, and other protesters gather outside San Bernardino County Superior Court recently to protest an alleged Chino Hills maternity hotel. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Man deported after murder conviction arrested reentering U.S.

A 41-year-old man deported to Mexico in 1995 after being convicted of murder in Los Angeles County was arrested after reentering the United States illegally, federal authorities said Tuesday.

The man spent four years in state prison following the 1991 conviction and had his permanent resident card revoked, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

He was arrested over the weekend by Border Patrol agents at a checkpoint on California Highway 86 between Westmorland and Salton City in Imperial County. The man was detained pending federal charges for entering the country illegally, according to authorities.

His name was not released. No additional details were immediately available.

ALSO:

Tour bus crash: Residents smelled burning brakes, heard horn

Possible remains of Laguna Hills man found buried in Ontario

Amid molestation scandal, archdiocese mulls $200-million fund-raiser

-- Robert J. Lopez
twitter.com/LAJourno