CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Better weather won’t keep California from grim fire landmark

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Firefighters may get a reprieve from the weather as red flag warnings of extreme fire danger expire. But the state is still poised to reach a grim milestone: 4 million acres burned this year by wildfires. The warnings expired Saturday morning, but fire officials say California is only about 20,000 acres from reaching the unprecedented figure. Meanwhile, two major fires that have killed four people and incinerated hundreds of homes in the wine country and the far north continue to burn. The Glass Fire in Sonoma and Napa counties still threatens about 29,000 homes.

CALIFORNIA-DEPUTIES-FATAL SHOOTING

Autopsy finds LA deputies shot Black man 16 times

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An autopsy report says a Black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies was wounded 16 times in the front and back. But the report doesn’t shed any light on whether he was on the ground when he was shot. The county coroner’s report supplied to The Associated Press on Friday says Dijon Kizzee had four “rapidly life-threatening wounds.” The 29-year-old died Aug. 31 in South Los Angeles after deputies tried to stop him for riding a bicycle in the wrong direction. Deputies said they shot Kizzee when he picked up a dropped handgun. Attorneys for the family deny that he picked up the gun.

TV-LATINO VOTE

‘Latino Vote’ documentary follows emerging bloc in US

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A new PBS film on the Latino voting bloc examines the rise of potentially the largest electorate of color in the U.S. The VOCES/PBS documentary “Latino Vote: Dispatches from the Battleground” is scheduled to begin airing on most PBS stations Tuesday and seeks to investigate how Latino voters see the 2020 Election. The film is told using a series of immersive dispatches from the battleground states of Nevada, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania. It follows left-leaning progressives and Latino evangelicals. Director Bernardo Ruiz says she wanted to focus directly on the Hispanic organizers and voters who may determine the nation’s political future.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES-MOUNTAIN LION

Orphaned, burned mountain lion rescued from California fire

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — An orphaned mountain lion cub who was badly burned in a Northern California wildfire is being treated at the Oakland Zoo after being rescued. The zoo says a firefighter rescued the four- to six-week-old cub Wednesday from the Zogg Fire. The cub, who weighs less than 4 pounds, had his whiskers singed off and his paws badly burned. He was given antibiotics, pain medications and a milk formula for kittens. A vet at the zoo says he’s eating on his own and acting “feisty,” which are both promising signs of recovery.  

AP-US-LOS-ANGELES-SHOOTINGS

LA police call for calm, condemn spasm of gun violence

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles police are calling for calm in the streets after a rash of shootings south of downtown have killed four and left 19 wounded in the past week. Chief Michel Moore said Friday that it’s a pace of violence not seen in years. The shootings have hit young and old alike, including a 14-year-old youth football player who was killed and a 79-year-old woman struck and wounded by gunfire next to her car. Moore blames the coronavirus pandemic for fueling the outburst because of the economic troubles it has caused and because it has deprived people of a social outlet.  

AP-US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRES

California nears milestone: 4 million acres burned in fires

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Expected powerful winds didn’t materialize, allowing fire crews a chance to make some gains against a blaze in California’s wine country. But fire officials say winds of up to 30 mph (48 kph) are forecast to push through the hills of Napa and Sonoma counties into Saturday. The Glass Fire, which exploded in size earlier in the week, is threatening more than 28,000 homes and other buildings. Officials also say the death toll increased to 31 people after a person burned in a fire sparked by lightning in mid-August died from their injuries.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA TOURISM

California wavers on theme park opening rules amid pressure

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has delayed releasing reopening guidance for theme parks amid criticism from industry leaders on the state’s initial plans and mounting pressure to let these businesses resume. State government spokesman Nathan Click told the Sacramento Bee that Newsom’s administration had planned to release the guidance on Friday. But following criticism of draft rules from amusement park leaders, state health officials said no announcement was immediately expected and that conversations with the industry were ongoing. California has faced growing pressure to reopen theme parks from the industry and local officials worried about the economic impact of the pandemic on their communities. 

CALIFORNIA PORT BRIDGE

California’s Port of Long Beach debuts massive new bridge

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The completion of a gigantic new bridge serving Southern California’s massive twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles has been celebrated in preparation for its opening. The  elegant $1.47 billion structure replaces and dwarfs the existing Gerald Desmond Bridge over a major channel in the Port of Long Beach. Mayor Robert Garcia waved a checkered flag Friday to signal a ceremonial convoy of vehicles to cross the span. The cable-stayed bridge is 205 feet above the water  to allow the largest container ships to pass underneath. Eighty cables strung from two 515-foot-tall towers hold up the road deck. It will open to motorists on Monday. 

AP-US-GOLF-CART-DEATH

Family of autistic teen will get $7.5M over golf cart death

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The mother of an autistic teenager who died in a golf cart crash at a Southern California high school will receive $7.5 million in a lawsuit settlement. Attorneys for the mother of 15-year-old Emmanuel Perez announced the settlement Friday. Perez jumped into a golf cart at El Modena High School in Orange in September of last year. The cart sped forward and hit a metal railing, fatally injuring the teen. The lawsuit contended that Perez, who had behavioral issues, was left unattended. The Orange Unified School District denied that, saying two aides tried to stop the cart. 

AP-CA-FRESNO-POLICE BRUTALITY REVIEW

Fresno police auditor found officer used excessive force

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — An independent police reviewer in Fresno criticized for withholding his report into allegations of police abuse has released his findings.  Independent reviewer John Gliatta on Thursday released a report that says a police officer used excessive force when he repeatedly punched a 17-year-old London Wallace in the face. Gliatta finished his report in May but admitted that he withheld it because he said he was afraid it could lead to civil unrest. The report says Officer Christopher Martinez continued to punch Wallace after he was no longer resisting arrest or posed any threat to the officer.