Latest news with #JaniceHahn
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Los Angeles County will provide more than 134,000 residents with medical debt relief
More than 134,000 Los Angeles County residents will be receiving notices of medical debt relief through a Department of Public Health program. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said qualifying residents will receive letters from the county and national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt saying their medical debt has been relieved. The assistance will come from the Los Angeles County Medical Debt Relief Program, which was launched in December 2024 to provide immediate financial relief to residents. "If you get a letter in the mail from LA County and Undue Medical Debt this week, open it. We've eliminated medical debt for more than 134,000 residents, no strings attached. This is real relief, and it's hitting mailboxes soon," Supervisor Janice Hahn said. "This is LA County government at its best. We are seizing an opportunity and making a smart financial decision to make people's lives better." The county said the notices will be part of a first wave of medical debt relief that totals more than $180 million. Through contributions from philanthropic partners, hospitals and health plans, the program aims to eliminate up to $2 billion in medical debt. "Through this program, Undue Medical Debt acquires qualifying debts in bulk for a fraction of their face value from provider partners like hospitals and health systems, along with collection agencies, meaning on average one dollar donated can erase $100 or more of medical debt," the county said. Eligible residents do not need to apply for the program, a letter will be mailed to their address. To qualify for the relief, residents must live in LA County and must be either four times or below the federal poverty level or have medical debt that totals 5% or more of their annual income. The officials said that although this relief will help many residents, data shows that medical debt continues to affect about 882,000 adults throughout the county.
Los Angeles Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Olympics water taxi service between Long Beach to San Pedro takes a step forward
In their pursuit of keeping people out of their cars during the Olympics, Los Angeles County leaders will consider installing a water taxi for the 2028 Olympics to transport fans between San Pedro and Long Beach, where multiple events will be hosted. County Supervisor Janice Hahn introduced a motion Wednesday during Metro's Olympics and Paralympics committee meeting to launch a feasibility study assessing ridership demand, cost and possible routes. The motion was unanimously approved by the committee members and public comment was overwhelmingly supportive, with some residents suggesting a water taxi be installed sooner to accommodate for the upcoming months-long closure of the Vincent Thomas Bridge. 'If we're serious about the 2028 games being transit-first, we must make transit safe, accessible, reliable and fun for people, and we can't only rely on our buses and trains,' said Hahn, who chairs the committee. '[The water taxi] would give residents, workers and tourists an affordable alternative to driving and parking at these games venues.' The motion was co-authored by Mayor Karen Bass, Metro board members Fernando Dutra and Jacquelin Dupont-Walker, and Inglewood Mayor James Butts. The study will be delivered back to the board in 90 days. So far, San Pedro isn't slated to host any games, but will serve as the 'Croatia House' — a cultural hub for Croatia's athletes, leaders and tourists. That agreement was made last year between L.A. City Councilmember Tim McOsker and Zlatko Mateša, the President of the National Olympic Committee of Croatia. Long Beach will host 11 games, including beach volleyball, water polo and rowing. Los Angeles faces challenges in meeting its transit goals for the 2028 games, which Bass proposed as a 'car-free' Olympics, largely dependent on the acquisition of thousands of buses to transport fans to venues across the region. Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the city has received leasing commitments for about 650 buses. Officials' goal is to lease nearly 3,000 buses for a price tag of roughly $2 billion. Metro previously asked the federal government to cover the funding in a request for $3.2 billion towards Olympics projects. But as the Trump administration has threatened funds across multiple departments, the monies remain in flux. Hahn previously told The Times that Metro will move forward with its plans under the assumption that funding will be fulfilled. The water taxi would offer alternatives to bus needs and was presented as a way to alleviate congestion along the two bridges connecting San Pedro to Long Beach and surrounding roads. Fans would be able to park in San Pedro, or board the ferry from Metro's J Line. There is precedent for the ferry service, Hahn said, citing an operation that once shuttled passengers between the Terminal Island fishing village and San Pedro. That ferry ran from 1941 to 1963, according to the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, which is housed in one of the original ferry buildings.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
AI-powered cameras gave out nearly 10,000 tickets along L.A. bus routes. Are you next?
In a one-month period, artificial-intelligence-assisted cameras mounted on Los Angeles Metro buses generated nearly 10,000 citations for parking violations, according to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Cameras were first installed on the windshields of some Metro buses last year, but the first tickets were issued in mid-February. Initially, the only buses to have cameras were along line 212, from Hollywood/Vine to Hawthorne/Lennox stations via La Brea Avenue, and line 720, from Santa Monica to downtown L.A. via Wilshire Boulevard. Line 70, which services Olive Street and Grand Avenue, and lines 910 and 950 that serve Metro's J Line have since been included. The AI-powered cameras scan for illegally parked cars and compile a video of each violation, a photo of the license plate and the time and location, according to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Each citation is reviewed by a human. At a minimum of $293 per violation, there's nothing artificial about the ticket's price tag. Read more: AI-powered cameras installed on Metro buses to ticket illegally parked cars In the second half of March, the program gave out 3,093 citations over cars blocking bus lanes or stops. That number more than doubled in the first two weeks of April, when 6,681 citations were issued. Before the cameras were installed, officers typically issued around 570 tickets for impeding bus lanes monthly, the transportation department told LAist. 'Without enforcement, a single parked car in a bus lane can delay dozens or even hundreds of riders. So, this is not just about issuing tickets, it's about making sure our Metro buses run on schedule and get our riders to their destinations on time,' said Metro Board Chair and L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn. The program, designed by technology company Hayden AI, is meant to improve bus times, increase ridership and address mobility concerns. Metro's board of directors approved an $11-million contract with the company last year to roll out 100 camera systems. The agreement started in December and is supposed to last roughly five years. Read more: A rich L.A. neighborhood donated surveillance technology to the LAPD — then drama ensued Although the AI-powered security cameras constantly scan for illegally parked cars, Charles Territo, Hayden AI's chief growth officer, said the technology is trained to record only when a potential violation is observed. 'If the bus is moving and there's no vehicle parked in the lane, it's not recording any data,' he said. 'Only when the system observes a vehicle parked illegally in a bus lane or a bus stop does it record the license plate and capture video of the event.' Similar programs are being used in Washington, D.C., and New York City as the use of AI continues to expand for travel safety. Recently, Southern California's regional rail system Metrolink was granted $1.3 million to develop an AI-powered security system to detect unexpected movement on the tracks. Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
LA Metro to begin concealed weapon screening in Norwalk
The Brief LA Metro will start screening passengers for concealed weapons at the C-Line's Norwalk station on Monday. It's part of efforts to enhance safety, with the technology's effectiveness to be assessed over the next year at key stations. In response to increased violence on Metro buses and trains, officials have implemented various safety measures. LOS ANGELES - LA Metro is set to begin screening passengers for concealed weapons at the C-Line's Norwalk station starting Monday, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance safety. What we know In response to increased violence on Metro buses and trains, LA Metro is implementing weapons detection screening at the Norwalk station on the C-Line. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to protect passengers and employees, which includes environmental improvements, modern fare gates, increased uniformed presence, and care-based strategies. SUGGESTED: Officials break ground on 105 Freeway ExpressLanes project The screening process will commence at 10:30 a.m. Monday, with Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn, Metro Board First Vice Chair Fernando Dutra, and Robert Gummer, deputy chief of safety, security, and law enforcement for LA Metro, present to observe the procedure at 12901 Hoxie Ave. What's next The effectiveness of the weapons detection technology will be evaluated over the next year at key stations. SUGGESTED: LAX/Metro Transit Center Station set to open June 6 This assessment will help determine if the technology can be a viable tool for enhancing safety across the Metro system. The Source Information for this story is from LA Metro. City News Service conrtibuted.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LA Metro sets opening date for new LAX transit center
LA Metro has released the opening date for its new massive transit hub near LAX. The LAX/Metro Transit Center located at 96th Street and Airport Boulevard in Westchester will officially open to the public on June 6, Metro officials announced. When opened, the new station, the largest in Metro's network, will be located along the K and C lines and will have a light rail station, bus plaza, bike share and bike parking, as well as other amenities. It will also provide direct connection to LAX via the Los Angeles World Airport's Automated People Mover, which is tentatively scheduled to open early next year after a series of delays. An LAX bus shuttle will service the station in the meantime. 'When the People Mover finally opens, then truly we will be an international airport that will connect people from literally inside the terminals to the world beyond through Metro,' said County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn. The opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center is a major milestone for Los Angeles' transportation future. When the Automated People Mover officially begins service, LAX will be serviced with direct train service for the first time in its history, just in time for the L.A. region to begin hosting a slew of high-profile sporting events, including the 2028 Olympics, the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl LXI in 2027. After people mover falls through, Inglewood reworks transit connector plan The South Bay area Metro station is also expected to be the southern terminus for the eventual Sepulveda Transit Corridor, a planned rail line that will connect the San Fernando Valley south to major population centers in the greater Los Angeles basin through the Sepulveda Pass. The LAX/Metro Transit Center is another piece of the puzzle for LAX as it continues plans to modernize the aging airport's infrastructure, improve the traveler experience and reduce traffic in and around the terminals with better connectivity to local transit and rideshare services. The Automated People Mover will pass above Century Boulevard and will connect airport travelers to a ground transportation hub, a facility with all local car rental companies under one roof, and the new Metro station. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
