Immigrant parents and children will be separated if caught entering the U.S. illegally. Also, bug-borne diseases have tripled so don't become a statistic, and street takeovers plague the Valley.
The Valley is a street racing paradise — and illegal street takeovers are on the rise
Crowds form in the late evening and block off large intersections in the San Fernando Valley -- sometimes groups of 40 onlookers, sometimes a knot of more than 100 people.
The Valley is known for street racing, but these gatherings aren't for races. Instead, they're to set up so-called "sideshows" and "street takeovers."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsYxWHSz5PQ
"Social media has made it challenging for us," said Captain Andy Neiman, commanding officer of LAPD's Valley Traffic Division. "It's very easy for these groups to coordinate their movements using secret codes and private messaging groups."
Consequently, law enforcement has had trouble tracking and preventing these types of gatherings -- and they're on the rise in San Fernando Valley.
Rev it up
Illegal street behavior was on the decline in SFV until these sideshows and takeovers started cropping up.
Neiman said that these types of gatherings are not happening every night -- but in the past month authorities have received reports on three to four large-scale events.
Catching people in the act, though, has proved difficult.
"Oftentimes they have lookouts staged in different areas and we've also had reports they use drones even, to try to locate law enforcement that may be staged in and around the area," Neiman said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j5TMo-rVv8
Law enforcement in the area just doesn't have the resources to continuously track and halt these street gatherings, Neiman said. And while it's still an item on police officers' priority list, they're open to exploring other, more creative ways to crack down on the takeovers.
"We're going to be looking at some other techniques maybe we can utilize to interdict and track this type of activity," Neiman said. "We're looking for the public to, to join in. If they have a video of those incidents, please forward them to us. We will do our best to work with our city attorney to try to file on these individuals if we have enough information."
The perfect setting
Street takeovers in San Fernando Valley aren't altogether surprising. The area has long been a destination for late-night car racing -- and that may have something to do with the layout of streets.
"The San Fernando Valley traditionally has long, wide, straight roads which for years have been very conducive for typical street racing," Neiman said. "So I think it has that history which brings these groups back to the Valley, just because of the historical aspect."
Once officers do manage to arrive at the scene of these gatherings, there's only so much they can do, Neiman said.
"It's becoming more difficult because the laws that are in place right now just don't have the effect that they really should," he said.
Police can cite participants with reckless driving or unsafe driving. Both are misdemeanors, and that's not enough to deter the activity, Neiman said.
Not only are the stakes low for offenders, but once officers do get on the scene, it's hard for them to do their job.
"Oftentimes we will see these individuals jump back in their cars and take off in a crazy dangerous fashion," Neiman said, "which can be even more dangerous than [the situation] we're there to enforce."
New California bill could shake up the way autopsy reports are handled
The police killing of Stephon Clark, along with the two different autopsy results in that case, have brought attention to a new bill going through the California legislature.
SB 1303 raises the question: Could police officials influence what a forensic expert's results might be?
If passed, the bill would change the way six California counties, including Riverside, run these investigations.
The author of the bill is state Sen. Richard Pan, who is also a physician.
He had some thoughts on autopsy report discrepancies.
How could two autopsies come up with two different results?
Dr. Richard Pan: There’s always room for interpretation of the findings. You have bullet holes, toxicology reports and one has to look at the detail of the examination. The real challenge is, in most cases, the only autopsy done is done by the county. And we’ve seen incidents, particularly in San Joaquin County, where the sheriff-coroner in a law [enforcement] involved incident puts pressure on a forensic pathologist...and even changes the actual findings.
Why is it important to have a physician-level forensic pathologist perform an autopsy?
Dr. Pan: Coroners go back to King Richard the Lionheart, where you basically need a person to say, ‘Well, that person’s actually dead, so we can go after their estate’ [In other words], a lay person.
In the past hundred years, we’ve developed a science of how people die and how that occurred. That’s called forensic pathology. When you see “CSI” and all that science, part of that is what a forensic pathologist is trained in, so they can make a determination as to how the death actually happened. And that can lead to a criminal case…. That’s why it’s so important that these exams are independent.
You’re a doctor -- does that affect your effort to push this bill?
Dr. Pan: In my role as a legislator, I have fought for science-based policies. I think it’s important that experts are able to apply science, back-up their conclusions with facts and make that available to the public. We need to make sure that we’re making policy on science and same for the criminal justice system. If we have trust on the basis of facts, it’s a way for the community [to come together].
*This interview has been edited for clarity
In hot Los Angeles rental market, veterans with housing vouchers are being turned away
Bug bites can carry disease, and the rate of infection has tripled. Here's how to protect yourself
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had some scary news in a report released last week. Cases of illnesses spread by mosquitoes and ticks, like West Nile, Zika virus and Lyme disease tripled in the U.S. between 2004 and 2016.
Disease cases from #mosquito, #tick, and #flea bites tripled in the US from 2004-2016. Over 640,000 cases of disease spread by mosquitoes and ticks reported and 9 new germs discovered or introduced in the US. Learn more in new #VitalSigns. https://t.co/cNTztAgt5O pic.twitter.com/N6m7HhHpIx
— CDC (@CDCgov) May 1, 2018
It's a striking increase. Those are nationwide numbers, though, so we wondered just how worried we should be about those nasty little bugs here in Southern California.
SoCal concerns
West Nile virus is a year-round concern, said Kelly Middleton from the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. The area sees hundreds of cases every year.
There's a new concern for the area, though — invasive mosquito species that can carry diseases including Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses, Middleton said.
Summer is the time when mosquitoes become a greater concern in Southern California. Higher temperatures after rain are perfect conditions to see an uptick in these bugs, Middleton said. And she did have a few tips for locals who want to avoid getting bitten or getting sick.
Around the house
As many Californians know, standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. But what people often don't realize is that some types of mosquitoes will live indoors and they can breed in very small amounts of water, Middleton said.
Newer mosquito species will breed in something as small as a water bottle cap. They also can take up residence inside, like in a vase of water that's growing lucky bamboo.
There's a bright side, she said: These invasive species often stay in one area, so if you or your family are getting chomped, that means you could eliminate them by finding the breeding spots in that specific area.
In the great outdoors
When you're hiking or camping, Middleton's biggest tip is to use bug spray — but not just any old spray, though. You have to make sure you use a product registered by the Environmental Protection Agency. Not every spray is effective but those registered products have been tested and proven effective against mosquitoes and ticks, Middleton said.
It's also a good idea to do periodic tick checks on yourself and your friends, Middleton said. Tick-borne diseases take a little time to be transmitted (sometimes a couple of hours, she said), so getting ticks off quickly can keep you from getting sick. Showering and washing your clothes in hot water is also a good way to get rid of bugs when you get back from the woods.
We hope that was helpful, but if you prefer your mosquito information in musical form, please enjoy this rap video GLACVD produced last year. Try not getting that chorus stuck in your head all day.
These pre-summer jams could put you in the mood for some fun in the sun
Every week, Take Two brings you the latest releases from SoCal-based artists. This week, Oliver Wang unveils the newest pre-summer jams.
Artist: Aloe Blacc
Song: Brooklyn in the Summer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWdOD2xaP8w
Oliver says:
L.A.’s singing/rapping sensation Aloe Blacc gets an early jump on a summer jam with this one. It's the lead single off an upcoming LP.
Artist: Patrick Paige II
Album: Letters of Irrelevance
Song: On My Mind/Charge It to the Game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiKOjvqTnBU
Oliver says:
Last year, Syd and Matt Martian of The Internet put out solo albums and this year, it’s the turn of their bassist and producer, Patrick Paige II. For this lead single from Paige’s upcoming LP, he does enlist the help of Syd, as well as singer/rapper Kari Faux.
Artist: Cheech and Chong
Album: Up in Smoke (40th Anniversary)
Song: Earache My Eye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wGlr2W15OI
Oliver says:
Wow, has it really been 40 years? L.A.’s most notorious pro-marijuana duo celebrate the 40th anniversary of the soundtrack from their infamous movie, "Up in Smoke." Alice Bowie was Cheech Marin’s fictional heavy metal persona, and the song has since been covered by Soundgarden and Korn. What would Cheech and Chong look like in a post-legalization California?