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Man Found Guilty in Terror Plot to Bomb a Long Beach Rally

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Man Found Guilty in Terror Plot to Bomb a Long Beach Rally

A federal jury Aug. 11, convicted a San Fernando Valley man for attempting to bomb a rally in Long Beach for the purpose of causing mass casualties. Mark Steven Domingo, 28, of Reseda, was found guilty of providing material support to terrorism and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.As a result of these guilty verdicts, Domingo faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Domingo, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in April 2019, is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson on November 1.

The investigation into Domingo was prompted by his online posts and conversations in an online forum in which he expressed support for violent jihad, a desire to seek retribution for attacks against Muslims, and a willingness to become a martyr. After considering various attacks – including targeting Jewish people, churches, and police officers – Domingo decided to bomb a rally scheduled to take place in Long Beach in April 2019.

As part of the plot, Domingo asked a confederate – who actually was working with the FBI as part of the investigation – to invite a bomb-maker into the scheme. Domingo then purchased and provided to the confederate and the bomb-maker – who in fact was an undercover law enforcement officer – several hundred 3½-inch nails to be used as shrapnel for the bombs. Domingo specifically chose those nails because they were long enough to penetrate organs in the human body.

Leading up to the attack, Domingo called for another event similar to the October 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Following an attack on Muslims in New Zealand in March 2019, Domingo called for retribution in an online post.

Domingo selected the Long Beach rally as his target and, in April 2019, drove his confederate and the undercover officer to Long Beach to scout the location he planned to attack. While there, Domingo discussed finding the most crowded areas so he could kill the most people. On April 26, 2019, Domingo received what he thought were two live bombs, but were actually inert explosive devices delivered by an undercover law enforcement officer. He was arrested that same day with one of the bombs in his hands.

Board of Supervisors Waive Citizenship Requirements for LA County Employment

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Board of Supervisors Waive Citizenship Requirements for LA County Employment

On August 10, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to eliminate the County of Los Angeles’ long-standing citizenship requirement for its department heads while also giving each department head the authority to waive such requirements for positions within their respective departments, including deputy public defenders.

Throughout 107 years of indigent defense within the County of Los Angeles, the Public Defender has been prevented from hiring attorneys because of citizenship and voting-registration requirements, even though immigrant communities comprise one-third of the county’s population. Along with the Board, Public Defender Ricardo Garcia has advocated for waiving citizenship and voting-registration requirements as a condition of employment with Los Angeles County.

The County of Los Angeles was first in the nation to incorporate an indigent defense department. In the past five decades, the role of the Public Defender has continued to expand exponentially to include advocating in the arenas of mental health, immigration, diversion and reentry, post-conviction and re-entry, homeless outreach, and many other forms of holistic representation.

The Public Defender plays a critical public service role in the lives of LA County’s indigent defendants. It is essential that the hiring process allows for the best and most diverse candidates. Non-citizen attorneys with diverse backgrounds, specialized training, and a license to practice law from the California State Bar are currently removed from the pool of eligible candidates, even though moral character determinations are made by the State Bar. This historic shift enables the Public Defender to increase the number of talented and diverse applicants to select from, which will enhance the county’s legal representation services and accurately reflect the county’s values of inclusivity and diversity.

EPA Levies Penalties For Lead-Related Violations In L.A. Schools

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EPA Levies Penalties For Lead-Related Violations In L.A. Schools

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA Aug. 11, announced six lead-based paint enforcement actions against renovation firms doing work in Los Angeles Unified School District or LAUSD, elementary schools that serve historically marginalized communities.

EPA under the Biden Administration is prioritizing the use of enforcement tools to advance environmental justice. The renovation firms in this case failed to comply with the Toxic Substances Control Act or TSCA, which requires them to protect workers, the public, and children from exposure to lead. They will pay a combined total of over $55,000 in penalties.

EPA settled with Buena Park-based Bitech Construction Company Inc.Whittier-based Kemp Brothers Construction Inc. and MIK Construction in Santa Fe Springs for violations of the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule or RRP under the Toxic Substances Control Act or TSCA. All firms performed renovation work on schools without EPA certification and did not retain proper records, including documentation ensuring that a certified renovator was assigned to the project, that on-the-job training was conducted for workers, and that workers performing renovation were certified or trained by a certified renovator. Several of the firms failed to ensure that a certified renovator performed the post-renovation cleaning verification at the schools, and to confirm that the property owners received the required “Renovate Right” pamphlet. The firms will pay the following penalties:

  • Bitech: $18,982
  • Kemp: $16,691
  • MIK: $16,814

Three Expedited Settlement Agreements or ESA were also reached with AMG & Associates, Inc. in Santa Clarita, CA, and Woodcliff Corporation and Mackone Development, Inc., both in Los Angeles, CA. Each firm will pay $1,000 for bidding on a RRP job without first obtaining an EPA Firm Certification.

Under the terms of the settlements, the companies agreed to pay the civil penalties and to certify that they are in compliance with the RRP Rule, which requires the use of lead-safe work practices during renovations. The RRP was created to protect the public from lead-based paint hazards that occur during repair or remodeling in homes and child-occupied facilities, such as schools, that were built before 1978. The schools impacted in this case all serve majority lower-income communities where most residents are people of color. These communities experience high cumulative pollution exposure.

Though harmful at any age, lead exposure is most dangerous to children under the age of six. Lead exposure can cause behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems and diminished IQ. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the United States, and between 2018 and 2021 94% of firms inspected by EPA and used by LAUSD to perform renovations in elementary schools were not in compliance with EPA’s certification requirements. Since then, 87% of the firms have returned to compliance with the RRP Rule.

Learn about the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule and program: https://www.epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program.

Report a lead-based paint violation: https://www.epa.gov/lead/pacific-southwest-lead-based-paint-tips-complaints.

The BIG fOIST! Happening at The Sardine

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The BIG fOIST! Happening at The Sardine

8/12/21: Updated to reflect one venue change

Fans of the Minutemen, young and old, have probably already heard about the Sardines three-day BIG fOIST festival happening on August 13. The festival, named after the Minutemen’s 1984 single.

The festival is a smash up of an old school record swap and live music event that will be free to the public. The three day will be at the Sardine and at Brouwerij West from August 13 to 15. Single day passes are still available for the music fest. The swap will be directly next door to the Sardine at 1105 W. Pacific Ave. and the Swap will be 21 and up.

Friday, Aug 13 @ The Sardine (Doors: 6 PM)

Friday night’s headliner is F.Y.P. This band was started by Todd Congelliere in 1989 and remained active all throughout the 90’s. This band was the predecessor of Congelliere’s Toys That Kill and Underground Railroad to Candyland.

F.Y.P. — 10:15 – end

Neighborhood Brats — 9:30 – 10 pm

The Wrinkling Brothers — 8:45 – 9:15 pm

Mikey Erg — 8 – 8:30 pm

Saturday, Aug 14

Saturday features Mike Watt and the secondmen, The Arrivals (from Chicago), Toys That Kill, and zydeco queen Stephanie Mcdee, from Louisiana.

@ The Sardine (Doors: 12 pm)

Stephanie McDee “After Party” — 12 am

The Arrivals —10:30 – end

Toys That Kill — 9:45 – 10:15 pm

Spare Parts for Broken Hearts — 9 – 9:30 pm

The Slow Death — 8:15 – 8:45 pm

Stephanie McDee — 7:30 – 8 pm

Mike Watt + The Secondmen — 6 – 7:15

Assquatch —5:15 – 5:45 pm

Tables Turned — 4:30 – 5 pm

__________

@ BROUWERIJ WEST

Alley Cats — 11 – end

Plan A — 10:15 – 10:45

A Lovely Sort of Death — 9:30 – 10 pm

Bastidas — 8:45 – 9:15 pm

Shoplifters — 8 – 8:30 pm

The Pretty Flowers — 7:15 – 7:45 pm

Carnage Asada — 6:30 – 7 pm

Jason Paul & The Know It Alls — 5:45 – 6:15 pm

Herman Dune — 5 – 5:30 pm

Kesem —4:15 – 4:45 pm

Vacancy — 3:30 – 4 pm

Sunday, Aug 15

Sunday features all-girl punk band Bad Cop Bad Cop.

@ The Sardine (Doors: 12 pm)

Bad Cop Bad Cop — 10:30 – end

The Last Gang — 9:45 – 10:15 pm

Makewar — 9 – 9:30 pm

Clown Sounds — 8:15 – 8:45 pm

Calm Kill — 7:30 – 8 pm

Hey Chels — 6 – 6:30 pm

Sean Bonnette (AJJ) — 5:15 – 5:45 pm

Band Aparte — 4:30 – 5 pm

Coma Twins — 3:45 – 4:15 pm

Bombón — 3 – 3:30 pm

__________

@ BROUWERIJ WEST

Spaceforce — 10:15 – 10:45 pm

Animals and Children — 9:30 – 10 pm

Matt Caskitt & The Breaks — 8:45 – 9:15 pm

The Dead Novas — 8 – 8:30 pm

Se Vende — 7:15 – 7:45 pm

Datamaps — 6:30 – 7 pm

Monkey Mindz — 5:45 – 6:15 pm

The Downsides — 5 – 5:30 pm

Velour Academy — 4:15 – 4:45 pm

Trap Girl — 3:30 – 4 pm

More than 50 bands will be performing over three and two venues.You must be at least 21 to attend (you will be asked to show legal ID or Passport at the door). A trolley will be going back and forth from The Sardine to Brouwerij West.

There will also be a swap meet next door to The Sardine running concurrent with THE BIG fOIST! on all three days. We will also have food for purchase. Other booths include rare Charles Bukowski books, vinyl albums from Recess Records and Water Under the Bridge. The festival will start Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, the start time is 12 p.m.

PLEASE CHECK IN AT THE SARDINE FIRST TO SHOW YOUR TICKET AND GET WRIST BAND.

Time: 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Aug. 13 – Aug. 15

Cost: $30 – $90

Details: www.recessops.com/collections/tickets

Venue: The Sardine, 1101 S. Pacific Avenue

SPJ/LA Faults LAPD Echo Park Report

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SPJ/LA Faults LAPD Echo Park Report

LOS ANGELES – On August 3rd, the Los Angeles Society of Professional Journalists chapter, or SPJ/LA sent a letter to the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners over the Los Angeles Police Department’s or LAPD’s After Action Report on the removal of the homeless encampment at Echo Park. Below are the demands from SPJ/LA regarding the incidents in March:

  • LAPD did not interview or contact any journalists who covered the Echo Park incidents. Instead, the report characterized the perspectives of the journalists without taking their experiences into account. Christian Monterrosa, a freelance AP Photographer, was hit in the abdomen by a 40mm hard foam during the encampment removal operation – there was no mention of this on the “After Action Report.”
  • The Crespo zones or “media pens” are not mandatory. Journalists are not required to remain in the zone.
  • LAPD’s distinction between “legitimate” and advocacy journalists is inaccurate. Bloggers, “influencers,” videographers, photographers, digital journalists and advocacy journalists have the same rights as print and broadcast journalists from news organizations.
  • Journalists should be allowed to act in an observational role and serve the public by holding LAPD accountable for their actions.
  • The Police Commission and LAPD need to work together and gather correct information on the incidents at Echo Park and future events.

CD 15 Redistricting Community Meeting

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CD 15 Redistricting Community Meeting

The Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission or LACCRC invites you to a Council District 15 community public hearing Aug. 18. Join this important meeting about redistricting. The purpose of redistricting is to redraw the maps that impact your community and to ensure you have the power to determine fair and inclusive representation in your council district.

Your help is needed. Participating in the redistricting process can be just as important as voting. It’s important to hear from you to learn more about your community – its schools, its churches, its parks, and its people. Come learn and take action so that your neighborhood gets treated fairly and gets the resources it needs and deserves.

Once you register you will receive a Zoom link that will allow you to join the public hearing online from your phone, computer, or other device. If you require them, please ask about translation services when you register.

For more information about the City’s redistricting process, visit laccrc2021.org.

Time: 6 p.m. Aug. 18

Details: RSVP to www.docs.google.com/forms/redistricting-meeting; 213-263-5765.

Transformative $187.7 Million Spending Plan Invests in Equity and Community

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Transformative $187.7 Million Spending Plan Invests in Equity and Community

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Aug. 10, approved an unprecedented $187.7 million spending package to advance its care first, jails last vision with a series of direct community investments and funding for alternatives to incarceration — accelerating the process of creating a more just and equitable Los Angeles County for all residents.

The spending plan embraces the spirit of the voter-approved Measure J. It also leverages one-time funding from the American Rescue Plan to ensure a strong foundation as programs ramp up and full funding levels are reached by 2024.

The plan includes a $100 million year one down payment for Board-approved programs spelled out in Measure J and now known as “Care First Community Investment” programs. The plan also leverages $87.7 million from the American Rescue Fund for a range of supportive, complementary programs. These include interim and permanent supportive housing, grants to community-based organizations, and employment opportunities for adults and youth.

The approved spending plan has broad crossover with the Measure J Re-imagine LA Advisory Committee’s recommendations and meets or exceeds 91 percent of the committee’s recommendations and funds 29 new or expanded programs (click here to view the spending plan).

The plan was developed with an equity lens, with a primary focus on chronically under-resourced communities to address negative outcomes caused by racially-driven criminal justice inequities and long-term community economic disinvestment.

Highlights of the funding plan include:

  • $42 million to support the closure of Men’s Central Jail
  • $8 million for community-based pretrial services in highly impacted communities, replacing law-enforcement supervision and pretrial incarceration for eligible individuals
  • $20.9 million to support youth at risk of involvement with the justice system or already involved in the justice system
  • $16 million for housing and related services to meet a variety of needs including for people experiencing homelessness with complex health needs; people with substance use disorder and at-risk and system-impacted youth and transition-age youth
  • $15 million to support residents returning to the community after incarceration
  • $9 million in supports for people experiencing substance use disorder and to prevent drug-related harm and death

A summary of the Care First Community Investment spending plan is here.

Details of programs funded are here.

For more information about Care First Community Investment (or Measure J), visit the Alternatives to Incarceration website.

In a separate action, the Board of Supervisors modified the Measure J Advisory Committee to the Los Angeles County Care First & Community Investment Advisory Committee or CFCI Advisory Committee, a 24-member board made up of community representatives, people with lived experiences, county department leaders and labor representatives. The new iteration of the advisory committee will continue to advise on related spending and will support the county’s creation of an online dashboard to monitor Care First Community Investment data.

As Schools Fully Open, New Data Shows Expanded Educational Opportunities for Students

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As Schools Fully Open, New Data Shows Expanded Educational Opportunities for Students

SACRAMENTO – California Aug. 10, released new data reflecting early results of historic investments Gov. Gavin Newsom has made in education. As schools fully open for the new school year, school districts across the state have expanded services to meet the needs of returning students: 98 percent of school districts report expanding educational opportunities, including mental health, after-school and academic supports. Specifically:

  • 95 percent of school districts report expanding mental health and wellness services
  • 73 percent of school districts report expanding after-school programs
  • 83 percent of school districts report expanding learning acceleration programs (e.g., high-dose tutoring)

The state’s new Statewide Expanded Educational Opportunities Dashboard provides the latest statewide snapshot:

Additionally, the new School Districts Expanded Opportunities Map provides region-specific data for parents, families and others in the community to find out whether their schools are offering additional mental health and academic services.

Through the winter, the Governor championed actions to provide school funding to both accelerate school reopenings in the 2020-21 school year and expand student supports for the summer and 2021-22 school year. AB 86 was enacted on March 5, 2021, with $4.6 billion (of $6.6 billion in total funding) dedicated to expanding student supports. Schools used those early funds to expand educational opportunities for the summer and the upcoming school year.

Vaccinated People Remain Well Protected from Severe COVID-19 Illness; LA County to Align with State on Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers

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Vaccinated People Remain Well Protected from Severe COVID-19 Illness; LA County to Align with State on Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to increase, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health or Public Health highlights data showing that vaccinated people remain exceptionally well protected from severe COVID-19 illness.

There are 1,503 people with COVID-19 hospitalized and 23% of these people are in the ICU. In late July, about 94 people newly admitted to a hospital each day were positive for COVID-19; of these 88%, were unvaccinated.

Among the more than 5.1 million fully vaccinated people in L.A. County, Public Health identified less than 1% or 15,628 people fully vaccinated who tested positive for COVID-19 as of August 3. Of those who tested positive, 446 were hospitalized. This translates to 0.009% of all fully vaccinated people ending up hospitalized. Deaths in this group are also very low at 0.0008%, representing 41 people fully vaccinated that tragically passed away.

This compelling evidence shows that fully vaccinated people remain at low risk for becoming infected and even lower risk for having a bad outcome if they are infected.

Now is a particularly critical time to increase vaccination uptake given the high level of community transmission.

Healthcare workers have been among the County’s highest-risk populations for COVID-19 infections since the beginning of the pandemic. As PPE became more widely available and vaccinations increased among healthcare workers, their infection rates declined earlier this year.

However, the county is now seeing transmission rise in this group: Between July 25 and July 31, 268 healthcare workers and first responders tested positive for COVID-19.

Healthcare workers are not uniformly vaccinated.

While consistent use of respirators and PPE reduces the likelihood of transmission within healthcare settings, unvaccinated workers are still at higher risk for being infected in their communities when community transmission is high.

Because many healthcare workers have close contact with very vulnerable patients, it is therefore particularly important to prevent infection in healthcare workers: the better protected they are, the safer it is for the vulnerable people they care for, and the easier it is to ensure that healthcare facilities are able to remain fully staffed during the pandemic.

Given these factors Los Angeles county will issue a Health Officer Order to align with State orders that mandate vaccinations for healthcare workers by Sept. 30. The county order will also include emergency medical technicians and paramedics, home healthcare workers, and dental practice employees. In the coming weeks, the county will work with healthcare and labor partners to develop an effective education and implementation strategy.

Public Health confirmed Aug. 10, 22 new deaths and 2,622 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 22 new deaths reported today, five people who passed away were over the age of 80, five people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, five people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, five people died were between the ages of 30 and 49, and two people who died were between the ages of 18 and 29. To date, Public Health identified 1,331,859 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 24,805 deaths.

Anyone 12 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated against COVID-19. To find a vaccination site near you, make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish).

Details: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

 

Environmental BRIEFS: EPA, Shell Settle On $29.5 Million to For Superfund Site Cleanup and UN Reports Threat of Climate-Driven Disasters on Homeland Security

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Environmental BRIEFS: EPA, Shell Settle On $29.5 Million to For Superfund Site Cleanup and UN Reports Threat of Climate-Driven Disasters on Homeland Security

EPA Settles With Shell To Recover $29.5 Million For Cleanup at Fullerton Superfund Site

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA Aug. 10, announced a $29.5 million cost recovery settlement with Shell Oil Company for the ongoing cleanup of waste and contaminated groundwater at the McColl Superfund Site in Fullerton, California.

Shell was found liable by a federal court for the cleanup and disposal of contaminated waste at the McColl Superfund Site. The principal contaminants of concern are benzene, metals, and a volatile chemical known as tetrahydrothiophene. As one of the responsible parties for the contamination, Shell has agreed to pay $29.5 million to resolve its share of costs that the federal government incurred through the cleanup process to date. Shell will also pay 58 percent of EPA’s future cleanup costs.

EPA and its partners at the Department of Justice covered the up-front costs of some of the prior investigation work done at the site, studies and planning to determine a remedy, the costs of litigation, as well as the costs to have EPA officials oversee the cleanup work that Shell and other responsible parties conducted to make sure it was done in accordance with the Superfund law.

A consent decree formalizing the settlement was lodged in the Central District of California federal district court on Aug. 6 by the U.S. Department of Justice. The consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. The consent decree can be viewed at: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.

Background

From 1942 to 1946, the 22-acre McColl site in Fullerton was a disposal area for petroleum refinery waste. During that period, 72,600 cubic yards of waste were deposited in 12 unlined pits, or sumps. During the 1950s and early 1960s, in an attempt to control site odors, the operator covered the three sumps with drilling mud. In the late 1950s, during the nearby construction of a golf course, the operator covered six additional sumps at the lower end of the property with natural fill materials. Placement of additional soil cover on the remaining sumps took place in 1983. Residences were later built on land next to the site. Eventually, the golf course expanded to include the site.

Residents complained to regulatory agencies about odors and health issues beginning in 1978. The McColl site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1983. EPA selected a cleanup remedy focused on capping the site to prevent water from infiltrating the waste, preventing the wastes from moving off-site, preventing contact with buried wastes, and collecting and treating gasses generated by the wastes. Following construction of the remedy, operation, maintenance, and monitoring activities began and will continue because waste remains at the site.

Details: www.epa.gov/superfund/mccoll

 

UN Report Underscores Threats Climate-Driven Disasters Pose to California’s Homeland Security

On August 9, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC released a new report highlighting the scientific evidence behind the accelerating global climate crisis and the implications it has for extreme weather and disaster events.

The report comes as California is experiencing more frequent, reoccurring and record-setting heat events and continues to actively respond to multiple concurrent threats posed by record wildfires, historic drought, energy instability and a generational pandemic.

California’s Homeland Security Strategy prioritizes protecting Californians against the effects of climate change. This week Cal OES also began updating the California State Hazard Mitigation Plan to focus on reducing or eliminating potential risks and impacts of climate-driven disasters in order to promote faster recovery and a more resilient state.

The UN IPCC report follows California’s own scientific assessment that the state is one of the most “climate-challenged” regions of North America.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2021/22 budget plan included $2 billion to fight and prevent wildfires and an additional $1.3 billion climate resilience package to prepare for extreme heat, sea level rise, and environmental priorities like toxic site clean-up, and pollution control.

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