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L.A. County reducing free COVID testing as federal funds are ‘completely exhausted’

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L.A. County reducing free COVID testing as federal funds are ‘completely exhausted’

At the same time as Los Angeles County sees an uptick in circumstances, the county is decreasing its free COVID-19 testing websites after the federal funding for it was depleted, authorities stated.

A pool of funds that helped present free testing to uninsured individuals was “utterly exhausted” final month, and the federal authorities is not in a position to ship suppliers and counties the cash to cowl testing, L.A. County Well being and Human Companies Director Christina Ghaly stated Tuesday.

L.A. County has needed to take away 25 group testing websites from the county’s COVID-19 arsenal since they had been not in a position to proceed offering the free testing as of March 22.

That is occurring as a $10 billion COVID-19 spending invoice stalls within the U.S. Senate.

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Whereas federal funding has dried up, Ghaly stated L.A. County nonetheless plans to persevering with providing free COVID-19 testing, together with to these with out medical health insurance, utilizing different sources of funding.

“We are going to maintain doing this so long as attainable,” Ghaly stated.

The county is vulnerable to having to shoulder paying one other $5 to $10 million per thirty days to cowl COVID-19 testing for people who find themselves “unbillable,” both as a result of they don’t have insurance coverage or as a result of they’re not offering correct insurance coverage info, Ghaly instructed the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

“We’re additionally hopeful that there will probably be a federal resolution to this drawback and that the federal authorities will once more fund the uninsurance pool sooner or later,” she added. “I strongly encourage people with out insurance coverage to proceed to see COVID testing if they’ve a cause to be examined.”

L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis raised issues that L.A. County might see one other surge by the point extra funding is accredited by the Senate.

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“I believe the Senate is, I’m listening to, they’re unlikely to vote on a bundle this week — in all probability gained’t come again till after Easter break. By that point, we will see a rise on this variant that’s presently impacting us,” Solis stated.

County well being authorities have observed small will increase in new COVID-19 circumstances, nevertheless it stays unclear whether or not there may very well be one other main surge.

Whereas the variety of hospitalized COVID-19 sufferers has remained regular and deaths proceed to lower, the unfold of the extremely contagious BA.2 omicron subvariant and a few latest outbreaks at faculties in L.A. have raised some issues.

The proportion of circumstances attributable to BA.2 has elevated, accounting for 32% of sequence specimens throughout the week of March 12, based on the L.A. County Division of Public Well being.

That’s double the proportion seen the week earlier than.

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L.A. County Well being Director Barbara Ferrer stated this mirrors traits seen throughout the nation.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention estimated that, as of April 2, the dominant variant within the U.S. is BA.2, accounting for about 72% of sequenced circumstances nationwide.

“Though case charges of COVID-19 are decrease now than throughout the surge in L.A. County, we do need to be ready for the likelihood that BA.2 or different variants of concern might require further interventions,” Ferrer stated Tuesday.

Up till lately, the county had been seeing day by day case numbers fall for the reason that winter surge and authorities have eased COVID-19 restrictions.

Masks grew to become non-obligatory at many indoor areas, and venues are not required to confirm individuals’s vaccine standing.

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Now, charges are starting to stage off and circumstances are not declining.

Officers are watching a number of indicators, together with the unfold of BA.2, to see whether or not guidelines have to be modified.

Ghaly famous that the county is protecting its agreements in place in order that authorities are in a position to ramp testing again up if wanted.

For now, individuals with out medical health insurance can nonetheless discover a free county testing website to go to in the event that they want it.

Additionally they have the choice to order free at-home COVID-19 check kits from the federal authorities.

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These with medical health insurance are inspired to offer their info when signing up for a check, so the county gained’t must pay for it.

“We’re asking individuals to make use of their insurance coverage if they’ve it as a result of then the testing accomplice, whether or not it’s our contracted one or one other supplier, can invoice for insurance coverage,” Ghaly stated. “So both approach, the person getting the check doesn’t must pay something out of pocket, however they’re offering their insurance coverage info, after which there’s no value to the county.”

Los Angeles, Ca

Child sex predator in Southern California dies in jail

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Child sex predator in Southern California dies in jail

An inmate facing 11 felony charges at the Robert Presley Detention Center was pronounced dead in his cell, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday.

An inmate locator search showed that the deceased, who officials identified as 39-year-old Anthony Wayne Brooks of Riverside, faced 5 felony counts of lewd acts on a child under the age of 14, as well as charges for illegal gun possession, DUI, vandalism, paraphernalia and more.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies found Brooks unresponsive in his housing unit cell on Sunday and attempted to perform life-saving measures until paramedics arrived.

However, despite their efforts, the sheriff’s office said Brooks was ultimately pronounced deceased.

“Investigators from the Riverside Sheriff’s Office Corrections Central Investigations Unit responded and assumed the investigation,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a release.

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Investigators did not immediately find any signs of foul play, according to officials.

According to the inmate locator search, Brooks was arrested on June 6, 2023, by the Jurupa Valley Police Department and did not have bail posted. Brooks had a court date set in February 2025.

Three years earlier, the Riverside Police Department arrested Brooks on Aug. 7, 2020, for negligent discharge of a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm and high capacity magazine, and violations of both probation and Post Release Community Supervision, according to the department’s Facebook page.

At the time of his 2020 arrest, police said Brooks had been residing at a sober living house. 

“During a search of the house, officers found a semi-automatic handgun, high capacity magazine, and numerous ammunition,” stated the department.

The sheriff’s office said Brooks’ death is an ongoing investigation, and that no further information was available as of Monday night.

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Officials encourage anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Investigator Justin Williams at 951-922-7152.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Stolen credit card, over $1K in merchandise found in Upland mail theft bust

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Stolen credit card, over K in merchandise found in Upland mail theft bust

Officers arrested two suspects for stealing mail, over $1,000 in merchandise and more in San Bernardino County, police announced on Monday evening.

The Upland Police Department wrote in an X post that officers received a call last week about two men breaking into mailboxes and driving a Mercedes that didn’t have license plates.

The department said officers were able to identify the suspect vehicle, “which started the shift challenge of who could find it first.”

An officer “didn’t take long” to find the Mercedes at a gas station at Foothill Boulevard and Benson Avenue, according to police.

“It also wasn’t hard to spot the two making a couple of trips to the trash can,” the department added.

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Officers said they then stopped the car and found stolen mail from Upland, as well as drugs, burglary tools and paraphernalia.

Police also found more stolen mail after officers went back to the gas station and searched the trash.

In addition, Upland PD said officers found a sizeable amount of merchandise from a retail store as well as a receipt that showed a partial card number from the credit card used.

“In one of the guys’ wallets was a freshly stolen credit card with matching numbers,” wrote the department. “Turns out the card was just stolen, then used to ‘purchase’ over $1,000 in merchandise.”

Upland PD said officers arrested and booked the suspects for commercial burglary, felony identification theft, mail theft, narcotics and more. Officers also impounded the Mercedes.

“Great job to our vigilant citizens for reporting what they saw,” praised the department.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Man, woman released after 17 years due to 'wrongful conviction' in East Los Angeles murder

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Man, woman released after 17 years due to 'wrongful conviction' in East Los Angeles murder

A man and a woman who spent more than 17 years in prison for an East Hollywood murder had their convictions vacated, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan also ordered the immediate release of Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios who were imprisoned for the 2007 murder.

“I want to extend my deepest apologies to Ms. Pleytez and Mr. Palacios for the years of hardship they endured due to these wrongful convictions,” Hochman stated. “I also want to recognize the tragic loss of Hector Luis Flores and share my heartfelt condolences with his family. His death is a painful reminder of the heavy responsibility we bear to ensure justice not only holds the right people accountable but also honors the lives of victims and their families.”

Flores was fatally shot during a verbal altercation in a shopping center parking lot in the 5200 block of Sunset Boulevard on March 28, 2007.

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Pleytez and Palacios were arrested following eyewitness identifications and other circumstantial evidence, the DA’s Office stated.

Palacios and Pleytez were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison but years later, the DA’s Office was asked to revisit the case.

“We are reluctant to say justice has been done, because the injustices our clients have suffered for nearly two decades are unfathomable, but this is definitely a cause for celebration,” said attorney Matt Lombard.

The District Attorney said that there was no evidence to suggest that law enforcement or prosecutors acted inappropriately during the case. “The request for relief in this case was based entirely on new evidence uncovered by the joint CRU and defense investigation,” Hochman stated.

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