Los Angeles City Hall Infested with Rats

Los Angeles City Hall is dealing with a rat infestation, which a pest control company says is due to the “poor sanitary conditions” of numerous homeless camps that surround the building. L.A. has long struggled to provide enough shelter for homeless people living on city streets. Earlier this year, there was an outbreak of several contagious viruses at camps and shelters, which many said was due to a lack of restrooms and shower facilities. David Costa, the building’s maintenance superintendent, said that human waste is attracting rats. “Custodial will need to do some hazmat cleaning of the grates and the pits. There are even hypodermic needles being tossed in the pits along with human waste and other garbage,” Costa said. But at a city council meeting about the rat issue, Council President Herb Wesson cautioned against blaming homeless people. “I do not want to have people who are unfortunately living on the streets blamed for something that they might not have anything to do with, but they're just an easy target,” he said. Last week, Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney Elizabeth Greenwood filed suit against the city for $5 million, saying she contracted typhus from a rat at City Hall. Typhus, which is carried by fleas on rats, has been rampant in the homeless population of the city. “Our homeless crisis is increasingly becoming a public-health crisis. Typhus. A medieval disease. In California. In 2019,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in his State of the State this year. [Los Angeles Times; Inside Edition]

MARIJUANA | Illinois will become the eleventh state to legalize recreational marijuana, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker intends to sign the bill passed by the state legislature last week. Most states have legalized commercial sale of cannabis through ballot measures, with Illinois the first state to do so through the legislative process. So far this year, similar legislative efforts in other states to legalize pot have not had success. “This will have a transformational impact on our state, creating opportunity in the communities that need it most and giving so many a second chance,” Pritzker said in a statement. For the rest of 2019, only 20 medical marijuana facilities that are already licensed will be allowed to grow cannabis plants, but starting next year, other growers will be able to apply for licenses as well. Municipalities and counties will be allowed to ban cannabis businesses within their boundaries, but will not be allowed to ban individual possession or use. The governor will also pardon past convictions for possession up to 30 grams, which is the limit that residents of the state can legally purchase now. Advocates for racial equity are pleased with the measure, including Steve Hawkins, who runs the Marijuana Policy Project. "Cannabis was at the heart of our nation's disastrous War on Drugs. This is a measure that will improve people's lives on a level commensurate with the devastation wrought by prohibition," said Hawkins. Opponents pointed out that Pritzker has a cousin who sits on the board of the Marijuana Policy Project, which may have influenced the governor’s opinion. Kevin Sabet, of the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said that it would be “tough to win” in a state with those circumstances. “But there’s more to come. We’re not going to let the Land of Lincoln go to pot just yet,” he said. [Chicago Tribune; USA TODAY]

KENTUCKY MINES | After two deaths in Kentucky mines, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration launched an investigation to determine their causes. Federal regulators said that the death of a surveyor in a mine happened because the mine’s operator did not have effective policies in place for protecting people from being hit by moving equipment like shuttle cars. The report also found missing headlights, low mining tunnel heights, and no lights on the backs of hardhats as central issues. The death of Norman Slone, who in addition to working in the mine was also a pastor, attracted attention from the governor when the event happened in January. “Our hearts are broken for all those affected by today’s fatal accident at the Toms Fork Mine in Bell County. We invite citizens of the Commonwealth and beyond to join us in praying for this miner‘s family, friends, co-workers and the entire Southeastern Kentucky community during this very difficult time,” Gov. Matt Bevin said.  [Lexington Herald Leader; WVLT]

ER BILLS | While Texas has been a pioneer in allowing freestanding emergency rooms, the state legislature recently passed measures to require more pricing transparency and possibly crack down on “bad actors.” One bill would require the ERs to disclose what insurance companies they work with and the fees patients will pay. Another measure would allow the state attorney general’s office to go after ERs that charge rates that are 200 percent more than the average hospital rate for that treatment. One recent report criticized freestanding ERs for not actually cutting down on waiting times at hospital emergency rooms, while costing patients more, particularly if they didn’t need emergency care. But the group representing the standalone ERs responded that insurance companies are to blame, as they too often don’t include their facilities in their networks. [Texas Tribune; Houston Chronicle]

SAN ANTONIO MAYOR | A mayor who served San Antonio in the 1970s and 1980s was not allowed to vote in a runoff election last week because she didn’t have a photo ID, despite being one of the most well-recognized people in the city. Lila Cokrell, 97, the city’s first female mayor, had to explain that she didn’t have a driver’s license anymore, but was still denied due to Texas voting ID laws. “I consider myself a loyal American citizen, just trying to do my duty,” said Cockrell. Jacque Callanen, the elections administrator in Bexar County, said there was nothing they could do unless the former mayor obtained a waiver for not having a picture ID. “It was uncomfortable for the election officials to tell her, ‘No.’ Obviously, they knew who she was. But the law is the law. The election officials did what they’re supposed to do,” Callanen said. Another former mayor, Henry Cisneros, took a moment to criticize the Texas law. “There’s something wrong with our system here when something like that happens,” he said. [KTSA; San Antonio Express-News]

Managing Editor Laura Maggi contributed to this article.