mercurynews--2020-09-23--Family of Eric Reason files wrongful death lawsuit against Vallejo, Richmond

The family of Eric Reason , the 38-year-old who died in 2019 in an officer-related shooting , has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the cities of Vallejo and Richmond .
Melissa C. Nold of Nold Law as well as Adante D. Pointer and Patrick Buena of Pointer @ Buena LLP are representing the Reason family .
Reason was killed by Sgt .
Virgil Thomas , an off-duty Richmond police officer on Nov. 10 , 2019 .
The shooting occurred at JJ ’ s Fish and Chicken ’ s parking lot , near the intersection of Fairgrounds and Sereno drives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to the suit in a statement sent to the Times-Herald on Tuesday : “ The city attorney ’ s office has not yet been able to evaluate the claim .
However , the city is saddened by the death of Eric Reason and sends condolences to his family .
Mr. Reason ’ s family is fully within their rights to file a lawsuit to seek redress and compensation .
Our country ’ s founders created a system of federal courts to ensure fairness and justice for all parties .
The city supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and compassion to address the claims raised by Mr. Reason ’ s family in a fair and objective manner.
” Videos from the night of the shooting show Thomas and Reason both going for the same parking spot in their vehicles .
Thomas is driving a Mercedes , while Reason is driving a van .
As a pedestrian blocks Reason , Thomas pulls into the coveted parking spot .
• August 20 , 2020 Richmond police officer dies of COVID-19 complications , after catching it on the job • June 5 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police shooting of man with hammer in waistband • November 19 , 2019 Vallejo police say off-duty Richmond cop who killed rapper used lawful self-defense Reason then parks his van behind Thomas and walks over to confront Thomas .
A heated discussion takes place before Reason walks back toward his van , while Thomas walks in the direction of the convenience store .
At this point , Thomas stops and observes Reason opening the hood of his van , where he appears to pick up a pistol before walking toward Thomas with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again exchange words , until Reason turns back toward his van .
At that point , Thomas can be seen drawing a weapon before beginning to shoot .
Reason then begins to run away , turning his back to Thomas while moving toward the middle of the parking lot .
Reason is running across Sereno Drive , about 50 to 100 feet away from Thomas , with his back to the officer — when he is fatally struck and falls to the ground .
Within hours of the videos ’ release , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attorney for the Reason family issued drastically different takes on the footage , the former calling it a vindication of Thomas ’ actions , and the latter saying it shows a “ cold-blooded murder.
” In May of 2020 , the City of Vallejo rejected a legal claim filed by the family of Reason .
This week ’ s lawsuit claims that Vallejo police failed to remove Reason from the scene in a proper way .
Nold was at the scene that night in 2019 .
It also asks why Thomas wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case sticks out because of the egregious nature of the shooting , but also the way it was handled by the Vallejo police afterward , ” Nold told the Times-Herald on Tuesday .
“ They allowed the Vallejo police officer ( Thomas ) to stay on the scene afterward as the family observed the situation .
I saw numerous police officers sticking their head under the tarp and sheet to get a look at Reason before they pulled him away .
“ My biggest concern was how the information was relayed a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was justified , ” Nold continued .
“ They left out the part that he was screaming , ‘ Don ’ t let them kill me ’ from 50 feet away as he was running away .
Did he have a gun ?
Yes .
Nobody is denying that .
But he should have been taken into custody and jail .
He never raises his hand with the gun .
It was something illegal , but it didn ’ t warrant his death .
The Richmond police officer should have yelled out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric ’ s hands would have gone up.There was no imminent threat of harm.
” This past August , Thomas died of COVID-19 .
He was 52 .
The Richmond Police Department released a statement in August , describing Thomas , a 24-year-veteran with the RPD , as “ a youth mentor and dedicated public servant.
” “ He was dedicated to public service — as President of the Guardians of Justice ( a community charitable organization to ensure the fair treatment of African American officers ) , he led various neighborhood events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in the Richmond community , ” the statement said .
Thomas also once held the position of Richmond Police Officers Association President .
The City of Vallejo recently reached a $ 5.7 million settlement — one of the largest settlements in Bay Area history — in a wrongful death lawsuit with the family of Ronell Foster .
The family of Oscar Grant , for instance , settled a federal suit with BART police for $ 2.8 million , Foster was shot by Vallejo Police Officer Ryan McMahon multiple times in the back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 , 2018 , in downtown Vallejo .
Foster had grabbed McMahon ’ s flashlight and allegedly threatened him with it as the pair struggled in an alleyway .
The 33-year-old Foster , a father of two , died at the scene .
Nold said that her firm doesn ’ t put up monetary demands and that the cases of Reason and Foster shouldn ’ t necessarily be compared .

The family of Eric Reason, the 38-year-old who died in 2019 in an officer-related shooting, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the cities of Vallejo and Richmond.
Melissa C. Nold of Nold Law as well as Adante D. Pointer and Patrick Buena of Pointer @ Buena LLP are representing the Reason family.
Reason was killed by Sgt. Virgil Thomas, an off-duty Richmond police officer on Nov. 10, 2019. The shooting occurred at JJ’s Fish and Chicken’s parking lot, near the intersection of Fairgrounds and Sereno drives.
Vallejo Public Information Officer Christina Lee responded to the suit in a statement sent to the Times-Herald on Tuesday: “The city attorney’s office has not yet been able to evaluate the claim. However, the city is saddened by the death of Eric Reason and sends condolences to his family. Mr. Reason’s family is fully within their rights to file a lawsuit to seek redress and compensation. Our country’s founders created a system of federal courts to ensure fairness and justice for all parties. The city supports that system and will proceed with integrity and compassion to address the claims raised by Mr. Reason’s family in a fair and objective manner.”
Videos from the night of the shooting show Thomas and Reason both going for the same parking spot in their vehicles. Thomas is driving a Mercedes, while Reason is driving a van. As a pedestrian blocks Reason, Thomas pulls into the coveted parking spot.
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Vallejo police say off-duty Richmond cop who killed rapper used lawful self-defense November 11, 2019 Crime and Public Safety | Off-duty Richmond cop who fatally shot Vallejo rapper identified Reason then parks his van behind Thomas and walks over to confront Thomas. A heated discussion takes place before Reason walks back toward his van, while Thomas walks in the direction of the convenience store. At this point, Thomas stops and observes Reason opening the hood of his van, where he appears to pick up a pistol before walking toward Thomas with the gun in his hand.
The two again exchange words, until Reason turns back toward his van. At that point, Thomas can be seen drawing a weapon before beginning to shoot. Reason then begins to run away, turning his back to Thomas while moving toward the middle of the parking lot. Reason is running across Sereno Drive, about 50 to 100 feet away from Thomas, with his back to the officer — when he is fatally struck and falls to the ground.
Within hours of the videos’ release, the president of the Richmond police union and an attorney for the Reason family issued drastically different takes on the footage, the former calling it a vindication of Thomas’ actions, and the latter saying it shows a “cold-blooded murder.”
In May of 2020, the City of Vallejo rejected a legal claim filed by the family of Reason.
This week’s lawsuit claims that Vallejo police failed to remove Reason from the scene in a proper way. Nold was at the scene that night in 2019. It also asks why Thomas wasn’t sequestered immediately.
“This case sticks out because of the egregious nature of the shooting, but also the way it was handled by the Vallejo police afterward,” Nold told the Times-Herald on Tuesday. “They allowed the Vallejo police officer (Thomas) to stay on the scene afterward as the family observed the situation. I saw numerous police officers sticking their head under the tarp and sheet to get a look at Reason before they pulled him away.
“My biggest concern was how the information was relayed a week later by the police when they said it was justified,” Nold continued. “They left out the part that he was screaming, ‘Don’t let them kill me’ from 50 feet away as he was running away. Did he have a gun? Yes. Nobody is denying that. But he should have been taken into custody and jail. He never raises his hand with the gun. It was something illegal, but it didn’t warrant his death. The Richmond police officer should have yelled out, ‘Hands up’ and then Eric’s hands would have gone up.There was no imminent threat of harm.”
This past August, Thomas died of COVID-19. He was 52.
The Richmond Police Department released a statement in August, describing Thomas, a 24-year-veteran with the RPD, as “a youth mentor and dedicated public servant.”
“He was dedicated to public service — as President of the Guardians of Justice (a community charitable organization to ensure the fair treatment of African American officers), he led various neighborhood events and giveaways to enrich the lives of those in the Richmond community,” the statement said.
Thomas also once held the position of Richmond Police Officers Association President.
The City of Vallejo recently reached a $5.7 million settlement — one of the largest settlements in Bay Area history — in a wrongful death lawsuit with the family of Ronell Foster. The family of Oscar Grant, for instance, settled a federal suit with BART police for $2.8 million,
Foster was shot by Vallejo Police Officer Ryan McMahon multiple times in the back of the head the night of Feb. 13, 2018, in downtown Vallejo. Foster had grabbed McMahon’s flashlight and allegedly threatened him with it as the pair struggled in an alleyway. The 33-year-old Foster, a father of two, died at the scene.
Nold said that her firm doesn’t put up monetary demands and that the cases of Reason and Foster shouldn’t necessarily be compared.


mercurynews--2020-09-23--Trial date pending for two former Recology employees accused of grand theft

VACAVILLE — Felony legal proceedings have been reshuffled for two former Recology employees charged with taking cash bribes from garbage haulers while working at the waste disposal firm ’ s Vacaville landfill in 2015 .
Marion Taylor Allen , 58 , of Fairfield , and Terri Rosalind Wilson , 58 , of Esparto , were scheduled to appear Thursday in Solano County Superior Court for a trial management conference and also on Oct. 6 for a jury trial .
However , court records indicate Judge Jeffrey C. Kauffman ordered them to return at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 6 for a readiness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Justice Center in Fairfield .
Allen and Wilson were indicted on June 21 , 2018 , by a specially convened Solano County Grand Jury on one count of felony conspiracy to commit a crime and 38 felony counts of grand theft stemming from activities while working at the San Francisco-based company ’ s Hay Road landfill in rural Vacaville .
Wilson is being represented by Vallejo criminal defense lawyer Daniel J. Russo and Allen by the Solano County Public Defender .
According to court records , from Nov. 14 to Dec. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly accepted cash bribes from waste haulers in exchange for allowing trucks to bypass Recology ’ s inbound truck scales and point-of-sale system at the landfill .
• East Bay man gets 33 months for possessing AR-15-style rifle loaded with armor-piercing bullets • First Biden-Trump debate will focus on courts , COVID and race Charges were brought by the Solano County District Attorney after an internal forensic audit by Recology revealed that the alleged bypasses were occurring when Allen and Wilson were working as weighmasters in the inbound scale house .
Police investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their residences , where they recovered $ 93,000 in cash from Allen ’ s home and nearly $ 155,000 from Wilson ’ s .
They were arraigned on the indictment on June 27 .
Allen posted $ 195,000 bail and Wilson was granted supervised release through pretrial services .

VACAVILLE — Felony legal proceedings have been reshuffled for two former Recology employees charged with taking cash bribes from garbage haulers while working at the waste disposal firm’s Vacaville landfill in 2015.
Marion Taylor Allen, 58, of Fairfield, and Terri Rosalind Wilson, 58, of Esparto, were scheduled to appear Thursday in Solano County Superior Court for a trial management conference and also on Oct. 6 for a jury trial.
However, court records indicate Judge Jeffrey C. Kauffman ordered them to return at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 6 for a readiness conference and trial setting in Department 1 in the Justice Center in Fairfield.
Allen and Wilson were indicted on June 21, 2018, by a specially convened Solano County Grand Jury on one count of felony conspiracy to commit a crime and 38 felony counts of grand theft stemming from activities while working at the San Francisco-based company’s Hay Road landfill in rural Vacaville.
Wilson is being represented by Vallejo criminal defense lawyer Daniel J. Russo and Allen by the Solano County Public Defender.
According to court records, from Nov. 14 to Dec. 30, 2015, the two women allegedly accepted cash bribes from waste haulers in exchange for allowing trucks to bypass Recology’s inbound truck scales and point-of-sale system at the landfill.
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Police investigators obtained search warrants to gain access to their residences, where they recovered $93,000 in cash from Allen’s home and nearly $155,000 from Wilson’s.
They were arraigned on the indictment on June 27.
Allen posted $195,000 bail and Wilson was granted supervised release through pretrial services.


mercurynews--2020-09-23--Whales aplenty but rough seas for Monterey Bay excursion companies

MONTEREY — It ’ s a great time to be a whale watcher , but a tough time to be a whale watching company .
The bounty of anchovies in Monterey Bay has drawn good numbers of humpback whales and Risso ’ s dolphins that watchers are currently enjoying , and even a few killer whales and rare leatherback turtles , whale watching companies are reporting .
Nancy Black , a marine scientist and owner of Monterey Bay Whale Watch who has studied whales around the world , said it ’ s a particularly great time to see humpbacks because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yesterday we saw about 20 humpbacks that were lunge feeding and some 800 sea lions , ” Black said .
“ They work together with the sea lions herding the anchovies.
” The sight of a humpback , which can run up to 50 feet long and weigh 30 tons , flying out of the water in an aerial breach after plowing through a school of anchovy is a sight few people would forget .
These whales can eat up to two tons of fish and krill a day .
Black said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they are highly unpredictable day-to-day .
The chances of seeing them increase with summer changing to fall she said .
But what she is most excited about is the spotting of a few leatherback sea turtles , a rare endangered species .
There is a large population of orange jellies in the bay right now , a favorite food of the leatherbacks .
These sea turtles began a long , arduous journey from Indonesia and pass along the Northern Pacific Coast before returning to the South Pacific .
The trip can take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which can reach 7 feet and weigh up to 1,500 pounds , are extremely endangered because they are often caught accidentally in fishing nets .
Stuck underwater , they drown .
Their eggs are also hunted .
Another treat for whale watchers is the huge number of Risso ’ s dolphins — some 500 by Black ’ s estimate .
Risso ’ s are the big boys — sometimes roughly twice the size of a human .
They are distinctive , Black said , in that they only feed on squid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ squid in Monterey Bay .
Both Black and Keith Stemler , a videographer with Chris ’ Whale Watching in Monterey , report seeing “ Casper , ” a local favorite all-white Risso ’ s dolphin that ’ s been hanging out in the bay for the past three or four years .
Stemler said the anchovy schools are near shore so whales and dolphins are being spotted just two to three miles to the north .
But it ’ s rough sailing for the companies .
Black said the business is highly dependent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s little international travel , ” she said .
Stemler said the other day they only had two guests and that they are seeing just 60 % of the people they usually do this time of year .
While on weekends the boats are filling up , the weekdays remain fairly barren , he said .
Black reports similar volumes — half the capacity .
“ It ’ s going to be hard for the next six months , ” Black said .
• Rare sight : Whale shark , largest shark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off California coast Frank Geisler , the chief executive of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce , called whale watching important to the economy and a “ destination attraction for many people.
” The Chamber recently hosted an information table at the head of Fisherman ’ s Wharf and Geisler reported a large number of people inquired about whale watching .
“ It ’ s a unique component of our tourist destination , ” he said .
The Chamber is hosting a whale-watching excursion at 9 a.m. Thursday , what Geisler called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Zoom monster , ” while practicing COVID-19 protocols and physical distancing .
There is still room for roughly 20 people , he said .
More information is available at https : //bit.ly/3coL60V .

MONTEREY — It’s a great time to be a whale watcher, but a tough time to be a whale watching company.
The bounty of anchovies in Monterey Bay has drawn good numbers of humpback whales and Risso’s dolphins that watchers are currently enjoying, and even a few killer whales and rare leatherback turtles, whale watching companies are reporting.
Nancy Black, a marine scientist and owner of Monterey Bay Whale Watch who has studied whales around the world, said it’s a particularly great time to see humpbacks because of the concentration of anchovies.
“Yesterday we saw about 20 humpbacks that were lunge feeding and some 800 sea lions,” Black said. “They work together with the sea lions herding the anchovies.”
The sight of a humpback, which can run up to 50 feet long and weigh 30 tons, flying out of the water in an aerial breach after plowing through a school of anchovy is a sight few people would forget. These whales can eat up to two tons of fish and krill a day.
Black said they’ve spotted a few killer whales but they are highly unpredictable day-to-day. The chances of seeing them increase with summer changing to fall she said. But what she is most excited about is the spotting of a few leatherback sea turtles, a rare endangered species.
There is a large population of orange jellies in the bay right now, a favorite food of the leatherbacks. These sea turtles began a long, arduous journey from Indonesia and pass along the Northern Pacific Coast before returning to the South Pacific. The trip can take years, Black said.
The species, which can reach 7 feet and weigh up to 1,500 pounds, are extremely endangered because they are often caught accidentally in fishing nets. Stuck underwater, they drown. Their eggs are also hunted.
Another treat for whale watchers is the huge number of Risso’s dolphins — some 500 by Black’s estimate. Risso’s are the big boys — sometimes roughly twice the size of a human. They are distinctive, Black said, in that they only feed on squid, which is testament to the number of squid in Monterey Bay.
Both Black and Keith Stemler, a videographer with Chris’ Whale Watching in Monterey, report seeing “Casper,” a local favorite all-white Risso’s dolphin that’s been hanging out in the bay for the past three or four years.
Stemler said the anchovy schools are near shore so whales and dolphins are being spotted just two to three miles to the north.
But it’s rough sailing for the companies. Black said the business is highly dependent upon international visitors. “But there’s little international travel,” she said.
Stemler said the other day they only had two guests and that they are seeing just 60% of the people they usually do this time of year. While on weekends the boats are filling up, the weekdays remain fairly barren, he said. Black reports similar volumes — half the capacity.
“It’s going to be hard for the next six months,” Black said.
Frank Geisler, the chief executive of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, called whale watching important to the economy and a “destination attraction for many people.” The Chamber recently hosted an information table at the head of Fisherman’s Wharf and Geisler reported a large number of people inquired about whale watching.
“It’s a unique component of our tourist destination,” he said.
The Chamber is hosting a whale-watching excursion at 9 a.m. Thursday, what Geisler called “an opportunity to connect and get away from the Zoom monster,” while practicing COVID-19 protocols and physical distancing.
There is still room for roughly 20 people, he said. More information is available at https://bit.ly/3coL60V.


mercurynews--2020-09-23--CHP: Motorcyclist dead after crash on Marin coast

A man was pronounced dead after his motorcycle crashed Tuesday evening in coastal Marin , according to the California Highway @ @ @ @ @ at about 6 p.m. on Shoreline Highway just north of Point Reyes Station .
The @ @ @ @ @ down an embankment , according to preliminary CHP reports .
Resuscitation efforts failed at the @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Barclay .
• San Jose : Bicyclist dies after being hit by car • @ @ @ @ @ him over railing of San Mateo Bridge • 16-year-old East Bay pedestrian airlifted to hospital @ @ @ @ @ car Authorities closed the road in both directions during the investigation .
The Marin County @ @ @ @ @ the crash happened about 300 yards south of the Giacomini Ranch .
The rider ’ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday night .

A man was pronounced dead after his motorcycle crashed Tuesday evening in coastal Marin, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The incident happened at about 6 p.m. on Shoreline Highway just north of Point Reyes Station. The motorcycle went about 30 feet down an embankment, according to preliminary CHP reports.
Resuscitation efforts failed at the scene, said CHP Officer Andrew Barclay.
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The rider’s name was not available Tuesday night.


mercurynews--2020-09-23--SF Giants Gameday podcast: What does scoreboard watching in 2020 look like?

Before Giants left-hander Drew Smyly took the mound at Oracle Park on Tuesday night , the starter watched his old teammates in Philadelphia play a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals .
Smyly enjoyed his time with the Phillies , but not enough to root for them on Tuesday .
A pair of Philadelphia victories would have hurt the Giants ’ playoff chances .
Fortunately for Smyly and Co. , the Phillies lost both games against a Nationals team that won ’ t make the postseason and fell to 27-29 .
After watching one wild card hopeful suffer a few tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a big way as he tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 5-2 Giants win .
The victory moved the Giants to 27-27 with six games to play and it ’ s possible the next time he takes the mound , San Francisco could still be jockeying for a postseason berth .
Smyly isn ’ t scheduled to pitch again until the final day of the regular season , but with the Reds at 28-28 , the Brewers at 27-27 and the Phillies still within striking distance , anything can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Giants always have games from around the league on around the clubhouse , but it wouldn ’ t be surprising if a few players are watching the early games on the east coast and in the midwest with a little more focus .
If the Giants sneak into the playoffs , there ’ s a strong chance they ’ ll face the Dodgers in the first round , but it ’ s also possible they could play the Cubs or Braves .
Games from around the league are providing good entertainment these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus must remain on the task at hand at Oracle Park .
SF Giants Gameday : Listen to the Bay Area News Group ’ s daily San Francisco Giants podcast , hosted by our beat reporter Kerry Crowley .
We give you an all-access look at the 2020 regular season with soundbites from manager Gabe Kapler and your favorite Giants players plus the latest analysis on every move during an unprecedented season .
We Need Your Support !
Several Giants articles will remain free every 30 days – and I ’ ve launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday-Friday – but for access to all of my coverage you ’ ll need to subscribe to MercuryNews.com or EastBayTimes.com .
Click here for our latest Mercury News offer and here for the latest East Bay Times offer .
Thank you !
— Kerry Crowley

Before Giants left-hander Drew Smyly took the mound at Oracle Park on Tuesday night, the starter watched his old teammates in Philadelphia play a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals.
Smyly enjoyed his time with the Phillies, but not enough to root for them on Tuesday. A pair of Philadelphia victories would have hurt the Giants’ playoff chances.
Fortunately for Smyly and Co., the Phillies lost both games against a Nationals team that won’t make the postseason and fell to 27-29. After watching one wild card hopeful suffer a few tough losses, Smyly helped the Giants out in a big way as he tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 5-2 Giants win.
The victory moved the Giants to 27-27 with six games to play and it’s possible the next time he takes the mound, San Francisco could still be jockeying for a postseason berth. Smyly isn’t scheduled to pitch again until the final day of the regular season, but with the Reds at 28-28, the Brewers at 27-27 and the Phillies still within striking distance, anything can happen down the stretch.
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Games from around the league are providing good entertainment these days, but the Giants know their focus must remain on the task at hand at Oracle Park.
SF Giants Gameday: Listen to the Bay Area News Group’s daily San Francisco Giants podcast, hosted by our beat reporter Kerry Crowley. We give you an all-access look at the 2020 regular season with soundbites from manager Gabe Kapler and your favorite Giants players plus the latest analysis on every move during an unprecedented season.
We Need Your Support!
Several Giants articles will remain free every 30 days – and I’ve launched a free newsletter and podcast that come Monday-Friday – but for access to all of my coverage you’ll need to subscribe to MercuryNews.com or EastBayTimes.com. Click here for our latest Mercury News offer and here for the latest East Bay Times offer. Thank you! — Kerry Crowley


mercurynews--2020-09-23--Fewer students attending California community colleges, early fall numbers show

California ’ s community college system is experiencing a systemwide decline of student enrollment this fall , with some campuses reporting double-digit losses .
The fact that fewer students have enrolled for this fall reveals a worrisome decline for the nation ’ s largest college system — with 116 institutions serving more than two million students .
While enrollments have been largely flat in recent years , with variations among the colleges , the situation appears to be different this year , with the picture complicated by the coronavirus pandemic , job losses , the transition to mostly online classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an issue that we ’ re paying very close attention to , that we ’ re very concerned about , particularly as it relates to any loss of enrollment for our most vulnerable student populations , ” California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said during a Board of Governors meeting Monday .
“ We did begin the ( fall ) semester with a brief decline in enrollment .
We ’ re beginning to see that gap close .
We ’ ll have more data come November but right now we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 7 % decrease in enrollment so far.
” Woodland Community College President Art Pimentel reported the local college sawn an increase in new students enrolled in the fall 2020 semester compared to the previous fall semester “ although our overall enrollment at WCC is flat.
” “ While other regional community colleges have seen a decline in enrollment , WCC ’ s enrollment is flat due to a variety of factors that include an increase in new students who are taking less units , more high school students taking courses via concurrent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrollment program in the school districts across our service area , ” Pimentel added .
He said the college ’ s focus during the semester “ has now shifted to retaining our current students and making sure they are aware of the instructional support services offered by the college such as tutoring and library services .
“ Due to the pandemic , our focus has remained on increasing access to technology , financial support , and increasing access to student support services both in-person and on-line across our three campuses in Woodland main-campus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pimentel stated .
Statewide , meanwhile , Oakley said the college system also saw “ an enrollment increase during the summer session , which is good news .
Many students were able to recover from the onset of the pandemic and take classes that they needed.
” Oakley ’ s numbers are based on a community college survey to which less than half of the colleges have responded so far , with most reporting declining enrollments , counting both part-time and full-time students .
Some colleges are bucking the trend , and reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nationally , community colleges are seeing what appear to be even more significant enrollment declines than California .
The 24-campus Alabama Community College system , for example , has seen a 29 % decline , and enrollments at the 14 community colleges in Pennsylvania are down anywhere from 3 % to 30 % this fall , according to Inside Higher Ed .
Typically , in an economic recession enrollments in community colleges increase because students have a harder time finding jobs , and seek to improve their skills by taking college classes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced slight declines in enrollment when the economy is doing well and students have chosen to work instead of going to school .
But the declining enrollments during the current recession are at least in part a reflection of students ’ reluctance or inability to participate in online instruction , said Michelle Siqueiros , president of the Campaign for College Opportunity , a California-based advocacy organization .
“ While many of us are tech-savvy , there ’ s really a sense that students want to be in the classroom , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generation because typically students who drop out or don ’ t enroll in college don ’ t go back.
” Information provided to EdSource from selected colleges indicate a wide range of enrollment declines , from 3.8 % to 20 % .
One of the colleges hardest-hit by an enrollment decrease this fall is Santa Rosa Junior College , where student headcount for this fall is down 19.47 % from 24,062 last year .
“ When the pandemic hit , we had to shut down a lot of our career education courses like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in culinary arts , ” Santa Rosa President Frank Chong said .
“ We ’ re back up with culinary arts , but a lot of students don ’ t like to learn remotely and some are dealing with personal hardship.
” Chong attributes some of the decrease in students to the wildfires and poor air quality , forcing people to evacuate their homes in Sonoma County .
Within the nine-college Los Angeles Community College District , two of its colleges saw double-digit decreases in enrollment .
Los Angeles Southwest College , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College , with 7,396 students , are down 20 % and 16 % respectively this fall .
District-wide , the colleges have maintained 90 % of their enrollment , said Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez .
Last year , the district enrolled about 145,000 students .
“ We ’ re seeing that Covid is having a disproportionate impact on students who are poorer , ” Rodriguez said .
“ The two colleges that serve the poorest or lowest-income students have the greatest drops in enrollment.
” • Audit blasts UC Berkeley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over more qualified applicants • California businessman is latest to plead guilty in college admissions bribery scheme • Hotline exclusive : Pac-12 paid performance bonuses to executives and staff prior to major downsizing move Despite the decrease , many community colleges expect enrollment to recover , if just a little , once they can count the full student-body this fall .
At Santa Rosa , President Chong said he expects the decrease to be less than 20 % once the college counts its “ late-start ” classes , or those that begin after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EMichael Burke , Daniel J. Willis and Louis Freedberg contributed to this report as did The Daily Democrat .
Also contributing are members of EdSource ’ s California Student Journalism Corps : Hannah Getahun and Iman Palm from Cal State Long Beach , and Marlene Cordova from Cal State Los Angeles .

By Ashley A. Smith, EdSource
California’s community college system is experiencing a systemwide decline of student enrollment this fall, with some campuses reporting double-digit losses.
The fact that fewer students have enrolled for this fall reveals a worrisome decline for the nation’s largest college system — with 116 institutions serving more than two million students. While enrollments have been largely flat in recent years, with variations among the colleges, the situation appears to be different this year, with the picture complicated by the coronavirus pandemic, job losses, the transition to mostly online classes and historic wildfires.
“This is an issue that we’re paying very close attention to, that we’re very concerned about, particularly as it relates to any loss of enrollment for our most vulnerable student populations,” California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said during a Board of Governors meeting Monday. “We did begin the (fall) semester with a brief decline in enrollment. We’re beginning to see that gap close. We’ll have more data come November but right now we’re probably looking at around a 5% to 7% decrease in enrollment so far.”
Woodland Community College President Art Pimentel reported the local college sawn an increase in new students enrolled in the fall 2020 semester compared to the previous fall semester “although our overall enrollment at WCC is flat.”
“While other regional community colleges have seen a decline in enrollment, WCC’s enrollment is flat due to a variety of factors that include an increase in new students who are taking less units, more high school students taking courses via concurrent enrollment and an acceleration of our dual enrollment program in the school districts across our service area,” Pimentel added.
He said the college’s focus during the semester “has now shifted to retaining our current students and making sure they are aware of the instructional support services offered by the college such as tutoring and library services.
“Due to the pandemic, our focus has remained on increasing access to technology, financial support, and increasing access to student support services both in-person and on-line across our three campuses in Woodland main-campus, Lake and Colusa counties,” Pimentel stated.
Statewide, meanwhile, Oakley said the college system also saw “an enrollment increase during the summer session, which is good news. Many students were able to recover from the onset of the pandemic and take classes that they needed.”
Oakley’s numbers are based on a community college survey to which less than half of the colleges have responded so far, with most reporting declining enrollments, counting both part-time and full-time students. Some colleges are bucking the trend, and reported slightly higher enrollments, officials said.
Nationally, community colleges are seeing what appear to be even more significant enrollment declines than California. The 24-campus Alabama Community College system, for example, has seen a 29% decline, and enrollments at the 14 community colleges in Pennsylvania are down anywhere from 3% to 30% this fall, according to Inside Higher Ed.
Typically, in an economic recession enrollments in community colleges increase because students have a harder time finding jobs, and seek to improve their skills by taking college classes.
In the past, community colleges have experienced slight declines in enrollment when the economy is doing well and students have chosen to work instead of going to school.
But the declining enrollments during the current recession are at least in part a reflection of students’ reluctance or inability to participate in online instruction, said Michelle Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity, a California-based advocacy organization. “While many of us are tech-savvy, there’s really a sense that students want to be in the classroom,” she said. “This could be a lost generation because typically students who drop out or don’t enroll in college don’t go back.”
Information provided to EdSource from selected colleges indicate a wide range of enrollment declines, from 3.8% to 20%.
One of the colleges hardest-hit by an enrollment decrease this fall is Santa Rosa Junior College, where student headcount for this fall is down 19.47% from 24,062 last year.
“When the pandemic hit, we had to shut down a lot of our career education courses like automotive, welding and our restaurant program in culinary arts,” Santa Rosa President Frank Chong said. “We’re back up with culinary arts, but a lot of students don’t like to learn remotely and some are dealing with personal hardship.”
Chong attributes some of the decrease in students to the wildfires and poor air quality, forcing people to evacuate their homes in Sonoma County.
Within the nine-college Los Angeles Community College District, two of its colleges saw double-digit decreases in enrollment. Los Angeles Southwest College, with just over 14,000 students last year, and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, with 7,396 students, are down 20% and 16% respectively this fall. District-wide, the colleges have maintained 90% of their enrollment, said Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez. Last year, the district enrolled about 145,000 students.
“We’re seeing that Covid is having a disproportionate impact on students who are poorer,” Rodriguez said. “The two colleges that serve the poorest or lowest-income students have the greatest drops in enrollment.”
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4 ways restarting student loan payments could impact economy Education | Are they students or employees? Stanford joins surge in graduate student unions across the country Despite the decrease, many community colleges expect enrollment to recover, if just a little, once they can count the full student-body this fall. At Santa Rosa, President Chong said he expects the decrease to be less than 20% once the college counts its “late-start” classes, or those that begin after Oct.1, along with non-credit students.
EMichael Burke, Daniel J. Willis and Louis Freedberg contributed to this report as did The Daily Democrat. Also contributing are members of EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps: Hannah Getahun and Iman Palm from Cal State Long Beach, and Marlene Cordova from Cal State Los Angeles.


mercurynews--2020-09-23--California businesswoman who faked connections to Kobe Bryant, Taylor Swift, sent back to prison for

California businesswoman who faked connections to Kobe Bryant, Taylor Swift, sent back to prison for fraud

A Corona woman , who served over four years in prison for lying to obtain $ 15 million in credit , later admitted she hid her criminal history to defraud an investor and was sentenced Monday , Sept. 21 to another 20 months behind bars .
Carolyn Marie Jones , 57 , concealed her prior convictions and presented herself as a successful entrepreneur , U.S. Attorney ’ s Office officials said Tuesday in a news release .
She used “ lies and deceit ” to convince her most recent victim to give her $ 13,000 from a retirement fund , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court documents .
Jones ’ s defense attorney , Ian Wallach , declined to comment on the case Tuesday .
Jones told her most recent victim she had support from LeBron James , Taylor Swift , Chrissy Teigen , Floyd Mayweather , the Kardashians and other household names , federal officials said .
She claimed Kobe Bryant ’ s daughter was planning to represent her clothing line on Jan. 26 , after learning the Lakers star and Gianna Bryant died in a helicopter crash , officials said .
“ I am devastated — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Jones wrote in a text message the day of the tragedy .
“ Kobe wanted his daughter to be the face of our brand… I have been in shock all morning… ” Those were lies , according to court documents .
Her latest victim would have never given Jones money if the investor had “ known about defendant ’ s criminal history , particularly the defendant ’ s prior denim jeans fraud schemes , ” Asato wrote in a declaration filed in May .
Jones owned Diamond Decisions Inc. , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PRVCY Premium , before she was sentenced in December , 2015 to 79 months in prison , according to court documents .
She falsified her company ’ s financial records and used another person ’ s Social Security number in order to open a multi-million dollar line of credit with Union Bank .
She also “ fabricated relationship with celebrities , ” to deceive the bank , Asato said .
Jones filed for bankruptcy after defaulting on her loans , and then hid her assets from the IRS .
She was already on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jury indicted her in July 2014 on suspicion of convincing victims in Georgia and Texas to hand over about $ 124,100 in a phony investment scheme .
Charges related to the latter case were dismissed as part of a plea agreement filed in February 2015 .
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of concealing assets in bankruptcy .
She was still behind bars when she posted a craigslist ad titled “ Seeking Financial Partner !
!
up to $ 25K , ” and was contacted by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was housed with an inmate reentry program in South Central Los Angeles when she toured a warehouse in Vernon with her victim in an effort to make the business venture appear legitimate .
Jones was released from custody on Feb. 4 .
The person she was attempting to defraud became suspicious after giving her money , and began providing information to the IRS .
That ultimately led to the revocation of her parole and her return to prison .

A Corona woman, who served over four years in prison for lying to obtain $15 million in credit, later admitted she hid her criminal history to defraud an investor and was sentenced Monday, Sept. 21 to another 20 months behind bars.
Carolyn Marie Jones, 57, concealed her prior convictions and presented herself as a successful entrepreneur, U.S. Attorney’s Office officials said Tuesday in a news release. She used “lies and deceit” to convince her most recent victim to give her $13,000 from a retirement fund, IRS Special Agent Ryan Asato wrote in court documents.
Jones’s defense attorney, Ian Wallach, declined to comment on the case Tuesday.
Jones told her most recent victim she had support from LeBron James, Taylor Swift, Chrissy Teigen, Floyd Mayweather, the Kardashians and other household names, federal officials said. She claimed Kobe Bryant’s daughter was planning to represent her clothing line on Jan. 26, after learning the Lakers star and Gianna Bryant died in a helicopter crash, officials said.
“I am devastated — now we really have work to do,” Jones wrote in a text message the day of the tragedy. “Kobe wanted his daughter to be the face of our brand… I have been in shock all morning…”
Those were lies, according to court documents. Her latest victim would have never given Jones money if the investor had “known about defendant’s criminal history, particularly the defendant’s prior denim jeans fraud schemes,” Asato wrote in a declaration filed in May.
Jones owned Diamond Decisions Inc., which sold jeans under the labels Privacywear and PRVCY Premium, before she was sentenced in December, 2015 to 79 months in prison, according to court documents. She falsified her company’s financial records and used another person’s Social Security number in order to open a multi-million dollar line of credit with Union Bank. She also “fabricated relationship with celebrities,” to deceive the bank, Asato said.
Jones filed for bankruptcy after defaulting on her loans, and then hid her assets from the IRS. She was already on trial for fraud when a federal grand jury indicted her in July 2014 on suspicion of convincing victims in Georgia and Texas to hand over about $124,100 in a phony investment scheme. Charges related to the latter case were dismissed as part of a plea agreement filed in February 2015.
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of concealing assets in bankruptcy. She was still behind bars when she posted a craigslist ad titled “Seeking Financial Partner!! up to $25K,” and was contacted by a would-be investor in December 2019. Jones was housed with an inmate reentry program in South Central Los Angeles when she toured a warehouse in Vernon with her victim in an effort to make the business venture appear legitimate.
Jones was released from custody on Feb. 4. The person she was attempting to defraud became suspicious after giving her money, and began providing information to the IRS. That ultimately led to the revocation of her parole and her return to prison.


mercurynews--2020-09-23--Attorney: Black man shot by deputies in Los Angeles wasn’t holding a gun

By STEFANIE DAZIO | The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — A Black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies wasn ’ t holding a gun when they opened fire , attorneys for his family said Tuesday , contradicting a claim that he had picked up a dropped weapon during a struggle .
Dijon Kizzee , 29 , “ posed no threat ” to deputies when they fired 19 shots at him , civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said at a news conference .
Crump also represents the families of George Floyd and Jacob Blake .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ knelt on his neck , and Blake was left paralyzed by a police shooting in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
Those incidents prompted nationwide protests .
Kizzee ’ s death also sparked a series of mostly peaceful demonstrations .
“ It is with a heavy heart that I ’ m standing with yet another Black family who has lost a loved one because of the excessive brutal force of the people who are supposed to protect and serve them , ” Crump said .
Kizzee ’ s family stood with Crump and the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They wore masks , buttons and shirts that said “ Justice for Dijon Kizzee.
” Several wept .
“ All I want is justice for my nephew , ” said Fletcher Fair , Kizzee ’ s aunt , as she called for the deputies to be arrested .
“ He didn ’ t have to be killed like that .
He ’ s no animal .
He ’ s human like we are.
” Kizzee was killed Aug. 31 in the Westmont area in the South Los Angeles area after sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riding a bicycle in the wrong direction .
They said they were unaware he had a weapon wrapped in a piece of clothing he was carrying at the time .
Two deputies told investigators they fatally shot Kizzee after he picked up the handgun he had dropped during a struggle with one of them , authorities said last week .
A video shows him stooping down .
But a wall blocks a full view , and no weapon can be seen .
It doesn ’ t appear the deputies tried to de-escalate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Kizzee had only “ made a motion ” toward the gun but last week reported that the deputies claimed he had picked it up .
Kizzee was shot multiple times in the chest and arms and once in the back , authorities have said .
The full autopsy hasn ’ t been completed yet .
Carl Douglas , another civil rights attorney who is representing Kizzee ’ s family , said witnesses said the deputies fired three or four shots at Kizzee , followed by a pause and then a second volley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An independent autopsy commissioned by relatives shows he was struck 15 times , Douglas said .
The attorney said the independent autopsy shows that Kizzee did not die instantly and instead writhed on the ground in pain .
“ We have no comment about the private autopsy results , ” Sheriff ’ s Homicide Bureau Capt .
Kent Wegener said in a statement .
Douglas said 19 gunshots shows poor police training and a pervasive “ warrior mentality ” among law enforcement nationwide .
“ Until we change that warrior mentality to more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to be more ( families ) who have lost loved ones , ” he said .
“ There ’ s a scourge that patrols the county of Los Angeles.
” • Video released of 88-year-old man shot to death by Northern California police • Third claim filed against California city after police shooting , alleges racism The attorneys also questioned why the deputies sought to stop Kizzee while he was bicycling , calling it another example of “ biking while Black ” and racial profiling .
Crump called Kizzee ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutality that have been part of the U.S. for centuries .
“ We in Black America are dealing with the 1619 pandemic , ” he said , referring to the year when the first enslaved Africans were brought to Jamestown , Virginia .
“ This is an epidemic .
The 1619 pandemic has claimed its latest victim .
”

By STEFANIE DAZIO | The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A Black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies wasn’t holding a gun when they opened fire, attorneys for his family said Tuesday, contradicting a claim that he had picked up a dropped weapon during a struggle.
Dijon Kizzee, 29, “posed no threat” to deputies when they fired 19 shots at him, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said at a news conference.
Crump also represents the families of George Floyd and Jacob Blake. Floyd was killed when a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck, and Blake was left paralyzed by a police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Those incidents prompted nationwide protests. Kizzee’s death also sparked a series of mostly peaceful demonstrations.
“It is with a heavy heart that I’m standing with yet another Black family who has lost a loved one because of the excessive brutal force of the people who are supposed to protect and serve them,” Crump said.
Kizzee’s family stood with Crump and the other attorneys, including his stepbrother and aunts. They wore masks, buttons and shirts that said “Justice for Dijon Kizzee.” Several wept.
“All I want is justice for my nephew,” said Fletcher Fair, Kizzee’s aunt, as she called for the deputies to be arrested. “He didn’t have to be killed like that. He’s no animal. He’s human like we are.”
Kizzee was killed Aug. 31 in the Westmont area in the South Los Angeles area after sheriff’s deputies tried to stop him for riding a bicycle in the wrong direction. They said they were unaware he had a weapon wrapped in a piece of clothing he was carrying at the time.
Two deputies told investigators they fatally shot Kizzee after he picked up the handgun he had dropped during a struggle with one of them, authorities said last week. A video shows him stooping down. But a wall blocks a full view, and no weapon can be seen.
It doesn’t appear the deputies tried to de-escalate the situation before shooting Kizzee. Authorities previously said Kizzee had only “made a motion” toward the gun but last week reported that the deputies claimed he had picked it up.
Kizzee was shot multiple times in the chest and arms and once in the back, authorities have said. The full autopsy hasn’t been completed yet.
Carl Douglas, another civil rights attorney who is representing Kizzee’s family, said witnesses said the deputies fired three or four shots at Kizzee, followed by a pause and then a second volley while he was on the ground.
An independent autopsy commissioned by relatives shows he was struck 15 times, Douglas said. The attorney said the independent autopsy shows that Kizzee did not die instantly and instead writhed on the ground in pain.
“We have no comment about the private autopsy results,” Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau Capt. Kent Wegener said in a statement.
Douglas said 19 gunshots shows poor police training and a pervasive “warrior mentality” among law enforcement nationwide.
“Until we change that warrior mentality to more of a guardian mentality, there’s going to be more (families) who have lost loved ones,” he said. “There’s a scourge that patrols the county of Los Angeles.”
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Crump called Kizzee’s death part of racial injustice and police brutality that have been part of the U.S. for centuries.
“We in Black America are dealing with the 1619 pandemic,” he said, referring to the year when the first enslaved Africans were brought to Jamestown, Virginia. “This is an epidemic. The 1619 pandemic has claimed its latest victim.”


mercurynews--2020-09-23--Where Bobcat fire fits among LA County’s largest wildfires of past century

As the Bobcat fire accelerated through the Angeles National Forest in recent days , more than doubling in size to nearly 110,000 acres by Tuesday , Sept. 22 , it became one of the largest wildfires of the past century in Los Angeles County .
Fire officials don ’ t believe it will challenge the 2009 Station fire ’ s record of 160,557 acres , but if the Bobcat fire isn ’ t already in second place , it probably will be soon .
“ As of today , the projected final incident size is less than 125,000 acres , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Obviously it will be contingent on what the wind , heat and fuels do , but we ’ ve upped the containment date to Sept. 30 so clearly we ’ re planning on making good headway , ” he said , referring to the date when fire officials believe they will have fuel breaks fully around the fire so it can no longer expand .
The most reliable wildfire records in California are from the 1980s on , and prior to the 1930s , records were not very reliable at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were certainly some extremely large fires before then — for example , the 1919 Big Fire , which the Angeles National Forest says burned about 126,000 acres .
But in the past century , these are the five largest fires to have burned in L.A. County .
All started during Southern California ’ s dry and windy months of August through November .
The Station fire broke out in August 2009 near La Canada Flintridge and raged uncontrolled for days as it grew to the county ’ s largest fire in recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California .
Believed to be an arson fire , it killed two Los Angeles County firefighters whose vehicle went over the side of a road in the Angeles National Forest and destroyed 209 structures .
2 or 3 .
Bobcat fire , 109,271 acres as of Tuesday , Sept. 22 The Bobcat fire started Sept. 6 in San Gabriel Canyon , deep in the Angeles National Forest north of Azusa , and has been burning mostly out of control ever since .
So far it has burned 29 structures and continues to threaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 .
Clampitt fire , at least 105,000 acres The September 1970 Clampitt fire stretched from Agoura Hills to Newhall and killed four people .
Sources disagree on its size ; the Angeles National Forest said Tuesday that it burned 105,212 acres , but it ’ s listed in other federal , state and local reports as 107,103 or 115,537 acres .
If you count two other blazes that burned as part of the same firestorm — the Wright and Agua Dulce fires — the damage rises to about 157,000 acres .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ventura County , sparked by Southern California Edison equipment , then spread south to the Malibu coast .
Three people died and 1,643 structures were destroyed , with real estate losses estimated at $ 6 billion .
A firestorm erupted across Southern California in October 2007 and , fanned by intense Santa Ana winds , burned almost a million acres .
The Ranch fire north of Castaic was the largest in Los Angeles County .

As the Bobcat fire accelerated through the Angeles National Forest in recent days, more than doubling in size to nearly 110,000 acres by Tuesday, Sept. 22, it became one of the largest wildfires of the past century in Los Angeles County.
Fire officials don’t believe it will challenge the 2009 Station fire’s record of 160,557 acres, but if the Bobcat fire isn’t already in second place, it probably will be soon.
“As of today, the projected final incident size is less than 125,000 acres,” U.S. Forest Service spokesman Larry Smith said.
“Obviously it will be contingent on what the wind, heat and fuels do, but we’ve upped the containment date to Sept. 30 so clearly we’re planning on making good headway,” he said, referring to the date when fire officials believe they will have fuel breaks fully around the fire so it can no longer expand.
The most reliable wildfire records in California are from the 1980s on, and prior to the 1930s, records were not very reliable at all, according to Cal Fire. There were certainly some extremely large fires before then — for example, the 1919 Big Fire, which the Angeles National Forest says burned about 126,000 acres.
But in the past century, these are the five largest fires to have burned in L.A. County. All started during Southern California’s dry and windy months of August through November.
1. Station fire, 160,557 acres
The Station fire broke out in August 2009 near La Canada Flintridge and raged uncontrolled for days as it grew to the county’s largest fire in recorded history, and the 20th largest in California. Believed to be an arson fire, it killed two Los Angeles County firefighters whose vehicle went over the side of a road in the Angeles National Forest and destroyed 209 structures.
2 or 3. Bobcat fire, 109,271 acres as of Tuesday, Sept. 22
The Bobcat fire started Sept. 6 in San Gabriel Canyon, deep in the Angeles National Forest north of Azusa, and has been burning mostly out of control ever since. So far it has burned 29 structures and continues to threaten mountain and foothill neighborhoods.
3 or 2. Clampitt fire, at least 105,000 acres
The September 1970 Clampitt fire stretched from Agoura Hills to Newhall and killed four people. Sources disagree on its size; the Angeles National Forest said Tuesday that it burned 105,212 acres, but it’s listed in other federal, state and local reports as 107,103 or 115,537 acres. If you count two other blazes that burned as part of the same firestorm — the Wright and Agua Dulce fires — the damage rises to about 157,000 acres.
4. Woolsey fire, 96,949 acres
The Woolsey fire started in November 2018 in Ventura County, sparked by Southern California Edison equipment, then spread south to the Malibu coast. Three people died and 1,643 structures were destroyed, with real estate losses estimated at $6 billion.
5. Ranch fire, 58,401 acres
A firestorm erupted across Southern California in October 2007 and, fanned by intense Santa Ana winds, burned almost a million acres. The Ranch fire north of Castaic was the largest in Los Angeles County.


mercurynews--2020-09-23--Bobcat fire surpasses 110,000 acres, as firefighters continue to protect neighborhoods

The Bobcat fire grew to 112,053 acres Tuesday morning , Sept. 22 , with containment creeping back up to 17 % , authorities said .
On Monday , firefighters worked to keep the blaze away from neighborhoods on the fire ’ s northern side .
New evacuation orders were issued near Colby Ranch and Hidden Springs .
As the blaze once again advanced on Mount Wilson , fire crews on Tuesday torched brush along roads , etching a charred perimeter to protect the observatory and the billion-dollar-plus in communications equipment atop Mount Wilson .
Aircraft also continued making water drops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The national forest said Los Angeles County residents would see a large plume of smoke near Mount Wilson as part of a defensive operation to keep the fire ’ s from jumping the fire ’ s edge at Highway 2 .
Over the weekend , the Bobcat fire grew into one of the largest fires to burn in Los Angeles County history , second only to the Station fire in 2009 , and surpassing the Woolsey fire , which burned 96,949 acres in 2018 .
Though the Bobcat fire continues to grow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 160,577-acre Station fire in size .
Fire officials said they expect to have total containment of the fire by Sept. 30 and project the fire will grow to about 125,000 acres .
Even so , the two blazes are linked .
Both burned large swaths of the Angeles National Forest .
Both fires threatened foothill communities .
The Station fire had approached communities such as La Cañada Flintridge , Pasadena , Glendale , Sunland , Tujunga , as well as Juniper Hills , where structures also burned in the Bobcat fire over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman assigned to the Bobcat fire with the Forest Service fought the Station fire as an engine captain in 2009 .
He recalled commanding his four-wheel drive engine through rough forest terrain , protecting homes and rushing to put out spot fires .
Smith said what ties the Bobcat fire with the Station fire is the burn scars left behind by the 2009 blaze .
• Discovery Channel embeds with California firefighters in new series ‘ Cal Fire ’ • Wildfire-weary Californians , ‘ tired of this being normal , ’ consider uprooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forest , where the Station fire had cleared out a lot of fuel , was among the reasons why the Bobcat fire did not burning as aggressively in its western perimeter , Smith said .
Lighter winds , cooler temperatures and higher humidity have also helped ease the fire ’ s advance on Tuesday , Smith said .
But officials said they anticipated the warmer , drier conditions would return Wednesday .
Where Bobcat fire fits among LA County ’ s largest wildfires of past century In the Antelope Valley , firefighters are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line and are doing the same in the northeastern corner of the fire to stop any spread , fire authorities said .
Officials have said that Bobcat flames have burned 29 structures so far , including seven homes that were damaged and nine that were destroyed .
But the numbers could grow .

The Bobcat fire grew to 112,053 acres Tuesday morning, Sept. 22, with containment creeping back up to 17%, authorities said.
On Monday, firefighters worked to keep the blaze away from neighborhoods on the fire’s northern side. New evacuation orders were issued near Colby Ranch and Hidden Springs.
As the blaze once again advanced on Mount Wilson, fire crews on Tuesday torched brush along roads, etching a charred perimeter to protect the observatory and the billion-dollar-plus in communications equipment atop Mount Wilson. Aircraft also continued making water drops in hopes of taming the flames.
The national forest said Los Angeles County residents would see a large plume of smoke near Mount Wilson as part of a defensive operation to keep the fire’s from jumping the fire’s edge at Highway 2.
#BobcatFire defensive firing operation is going well at Mt. Wilson. Aerial firing operations will start at 5 p.m. and residents might see smoke coming from the Mt. Wilson area.#LACoFD pic.twitter.com/MaxCfttoMH — L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) September 22, 2020
Over the weekend, the Bobcat fire grew into one of the largest fires to burn in Los Angeles County history, second only to the Station fire in 2009, and surpassing the Woolsey fire, which burned 96,949 acres in 2018.
Though the Bobcat fire continues to grow, officials do not expect it to catch the 160,577-acre Station fire in size. Fire officials said they expect to have total containment of the fire by Sept. 30 and project the fire will grow to about 125,000 acres.
Even so, the two blazes are linked.
Both burned large swaths of the Angeles National Forest. Both fires threatened foothill communities. The Station fire had approached communities such as La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Glendale, Sunland, Tujunga, as well as Juniper Hills, where structures also burned in the Bobcat fire over the weekend.
Larry Smith, a spokesman assigned to the Bobcat fire with the Forest Service fought the Station fire as an engine captain in 2009. He recalled commanding his four-wheel drive engine through rough forest terrain, protecting homes and rushing to put out spot fires.
Smith said what ties the Bobcat fire with the Station fire is the burn scars left behind by the 2009 blaze.
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Living with air pollution, especially from wildfires or agriculture, raises risk of dementia, US study finds Crashes and Disasters | Cadaver dogs are in Maui to help find the dead. Here’s how it works and why it’s difficult Its charred path in the forest, where the Station fire had cleared out a lot of fuel, was among the reasons why the Bobcat fire did not burning as aggressively in its western perimeter, Smith said.
Lighter winds, cooler temperatures and higher humidity have also helped ease the fire’s advance on Tuesday, Smith said.
But officials said they anticipated the warmer, drier conditions would return Wednesday.
Where Bobcat fire fits among LA County’s largest wildfires of past century
In the Antelope Valley, firefighters are continuing to try and make a containment line and are doing the same in the northeastern corner of the fire to stop any spread, fire authorities said.
Officials have said that Bobcat flames have burned 29 structures so far, including seven homes that were damaged and nine that were destroyed. But the numbers could grow.


mercurynews--2020-09-24--Breonna Taylor: Bay Area protest follows jury’s decision not to charge officers

SAN JOSE — Dozens of people gathered Wednesday evening in San Jose to protest a Kentucky grand jury ’ s decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor ’ s death in Louisville earlier this year .
The jury charged a single former officer , Brett Hankison , for shooting into neighboring apartments , a charge known as wanton endangerment .
Taylor , an emergency medical worker , was shot multiple times by police officers who entered her home during a narcotics investigation on March 13 .
The warrant used to search her home was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live there and no drugs were found inside .
Protesters across the country have demanded justice for Taylor and other Black people killed by police in recent months , most notably George Floyd , who died after Minneapolis police kneeled on his back for almost nine minutes .
Rallies have taken place in San Jose , Oakland , San Francisco and other Bay Area cities .
As of 5:30 p.m. , about two dozen protesters had gathered outside San Jose City Hall .
Among them was 25-year-old Daniel Barrena , who said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do more .
“ It just shows that they ’ re not accountable at all to anyone , ” said Barrena , waving a Zapatista flag in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement .
“ There ’ s just going to be more protests and more riots until we get the justice we deserve .
I just hope they don ’ t rubber bullet us tonight.
” Police , however , were nowhere to be seen as a slow trickle of protesters headed to City Hall .
For 29-year-old Srishti Prabha , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example “ of just how much political power police have in this country.
” “ It ’ s unfortunate that Breonna Taylor ’ s family is not going to get the justice they wanted , ” the San Jose resident continued .
“ This was a heinous crime and justice did not happen.
” In a letter to the Oakland community , Assistant City Administrator Ed Reiskin acknowledged the likelihood of a new round of demonstrations in that city .
“ In light of the decisions by a Jefferson County , Kentucky grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with regard to charging Louisville police officers in the killing of Breonna Taylor , the City of Oakland is anticipating there may be demonstrations and protests in Oakland this week , and we are prepared to support any activities should they occur , ” he said .
“ Oakland has continued and will continue to facilitate peaceful protests and expressions of outrage about social injustice and racial inequality.
” Taylor ’ s boyfriend , Kenneth Walker , opened fire when the officers burst in , hitting Sgt .
Jonathan Mattingly .
Walker told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know who was coming into the apartment and fired in self defense .
“ According to Kentucky law , the use of force by ( Officers Jonathan Mattingly and ( Myles ) Cosgrove was justified to protect themselves , ” state Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Wednesday while announcing the indictment .
“ This justification bars us from pursuing criminal charges in Miss Breonna Taylor ’ s death.
” Cameron added : “ The decision before my office as the special prosecutor in this case was not to decide if the loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragedy .
The answer to that is unequivocally yes.
” The National Police Accountability Project condemned Cameron for not charging all three officers .
“ It is not up to the Attorney General to exonerate these officers .
His job is merely to determine if there is probable cause to charge them .
Clearly there is in this case , as there has been in so many others , ” said NPAP President Michael Avery in a statement .
“ The Attorney General should not be allowed to blame the grand jury for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious charges — if he had pushed for those indictments , he would have gotten them .
It is time to begin holding police officers accountable to the criminal laws they are sworn to uphold.
” Hankison was fired from the Louisville Police Department on June 23 .
A termination letter sent to him by interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said the White officer had violated procedures by showing “ extreme indifference to the value of human life ” when he “ wantonly and blindly ” fired 10 rounds into Taylor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settled a lawsuit against the three officers brought by Taylor ’ s mother , Tamika Parker , agreeing to pay her $ 12 million and enact police reforms .
Bay Area News Group staff writer Aldo Toledo and The Associated Press contributed to this report .

SAN JOSE — Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday evening across the Bay Area to protest a Kentucky grand jury’s decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death in Louisville earlier this year.
The jury instead indicted a single former officer, Brett Hankison, with three counts of “wanton endangerment” for shooting into neighboring apartments.
Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by officers who entered her home during a narcotics investigation on March 13. The warrant used to search her home was connected to a suspect who did not live there and no drugs were found.
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Lou Dimes of San Jose speaks at City Hall in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. Protesters erected a guillotine as an art installation outside city hall as a symbol of the coming revolution if leaders don’t listen to people’s demands for justice and police reform. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Protesters including Christopher Guzman of San Jose chant at City Hall in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 to protest the lack of charges against the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Anabel Martinez, 17, of San Jose chants at City Hall in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 to protest the lack of charges against the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Protesters chant at City Hall in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 to protest the lack of charges against the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
Charlotte Cardenas, left, Noelle Miranda, center, and her sister, Destiny Miranda, all from San Jose, raise their arms while chanting at City Hall in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 to protest the lack of charges against the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: At City Hall in San Jose, Calif., protesters erected a guillotine as an art installation outside city hall as a symbol of the coming revolution if leaders don’t listen to people’s demands for justice and police reform, on Sept. 23, 2020. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Alma Sugiarto of Mountain View holds a sign with an image of Breonna Taylor at City Hall in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 to protest the lack of charges against the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Paris Browder of San Jose participates in a rally at City Hall in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 to protest the lack of charges against the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: At City Hall in San Jose, Calif., protesters erected a guillotine as an art installation outside city hall as a symbol of the coming revolution if leaders don’t listen to people’s demands for justice and police reform, on Sept. 23, 2020. Protests erupted across the U.S. after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a single former police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not file any charges against the officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: A protester holds a sign while marching down Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, during a protest denouncing the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Protesters march down Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, during a protest denouncing the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Cat Brooks of Oakland, left, with the Anti Police-Terror Project, stands next to Quanah Brightman, Executive Director for United Native Americans, as she speaks to a group of protesters in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, after a Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Protesters march down Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, during a protest denouncing the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Isaiah Soto, of South San Francisco, holds a sign with an image of Breonna Taylor in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, during a protest denouncing the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: A protester tries to knockdown a barricade near the Oakland Police Department in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, during a protest denouncing the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: A protester holds a sign near the Oakland Police Department in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, during a protest denouncing the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Protesters march down Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, during a protest denouncing the Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Quanah Brightman, Executive Director for United Native Americans, speaks to a group of protesters in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, after a Kentucky grand jury's decision not to charge any police officers for their role in Breonna Taylor's death in Louisville earlier this year. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
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Protesters across the country have demanded justice for Taylor and other Black people killed by police in recent months, most notably George Floyd, who died after Minneapolis police kneeled on his back for almost nine minutes. Demonstrations have taken place in San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco and other Bay Area cities.
As of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, roughly 100 protesters had gathered outside San Jose City Hall. Among them was 25-year-old San Jose resident Daniel Barrena, who said he was disgusted the jury did not do more.
“It just shows that they’re not accountable at all to anyone,” said Barrena, who waved a Zapatista flag in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. “There’s just going to be more protests and more riots until we get the justice we deserve.”
Paris Browder said the news was “a slap in the face to me, to every Black person and to Breonna’s family specially.”
“I feel infuriated, frustrated, outraged and out of my body,” the 28-year-old San Jose resident said.
For 29-year-old San Jose resident Srishti Prabha, the indictment of a single police officer was an example “of just how much political power police have in this country.”
“It’s unfortunate that Breonna Taylor’s family is not going to get the justice they wanted,” Prabha continued. “This was a heinous crime and justice did not happen.”
As he’s putting the guillotine together, Brody Storey, 28, tells me it’s an art installation representing the coming revolution. He said “there is a rich elite and a working class and a privatised group that work together to oppress people who own like three percent of the wealth pic.twitter.com/HDnR5Vg6Wp — Aldo Toledo (@aldot29) September 24, 2020
In Oakland, several hundred people marched through downtown chanting “Black Lives Matter” and shouting Taylor’s name. The protesters gathered at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater and then marched to the Interstate 580 on-ramp at Northgate Avenue, where they briefly stopped traffic on the freeway. Then they headed down Telegraph Avenue.
The #oaklandprotest march continues down Broadway pic.twitter.com/Ei7s0V6S0U — Sarah Belle Lin (@SarahBelleLin) September 24, 2020
As of 9:45 p.m., no violence or clashes with police had been reported, although some demonstrators spray-painted “FTP” and “BLM” on the plywood covering up storefronts.
Oakland resident Sherry Congrave-Wilson, who was there with her 24-year-old son, was disappointed more people didn’t join the protest.
I think people are kind of tired and weary,” the 51-year-old said. “But I think I’m just going to keep coming out.”
Congrave-Wilson hadn’t been joining the protests recently. As a caregiver for her 95-year-old mother, she was worried about contracting COVID-19 from the crowds and passing it to her mother. But after hearing there would be no indictments for Taylor’s death, she decided she had to go out and march.
“It’s risky, yeah,” she said. “But I think it’s even more risky and dangerous to do nothing.”
The county is at a pivotal moment, she said, but racial injustice will continue if people don’t stand up to it.
A few hundred protesters march down Telegraph in Oakland chanting Black lives matter. #BreonnaTaylor @EastBayTimes pic.twitter.com/mYbtK97HAR — Marisa Kendall (@MarisaKendall) September 24, 2020
In a letter to the Oakland community, Assistant City Administrator Ed Reiskin said the city was “prepared to support” protests and demonstrations spurred by the jury’s decision.
“Oakland has continued and will continue to facilitate peaceful protests and expressions of outrage about social injustice and racial inequality,” he said.
More than 100 people marched in San Francisco, closing down part of 17th street and gathering outside the police department in the Mission District.
Back in San Jose, about 50 protesters marched to the controversial Thomas Fallon statue at West Julian Street and West St. James Street. According to NBC Bay Area, the protesters set fire to the monument, which commemorates the raising of the United States flag in San Jose in 1846, when California was still a part of Mexico.
Many criminal law experts had predicted the officers wouldn’t face homicide charges because of Kentucky’s laws on self-defense. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire when the officers entered her apartment, hitting Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly.
“According to Kentucky law, the use of force by (Officers Jonathan) Mattingly and (Myles) Cosgrove was justified to protect themselves,” said state Attorney General Daniel Cameron at a news conference announcing the jury’s decision. “This justification bars us from pursuing criminal charges in Miss Breonna Taylor’s death.”
Cameron added: “The decision before my office as the special prosecutor in this case was not to decide if the loss of Ms. Taylor’s life was a tragedy. The answer to that is unequivocally yes.”
The National Police Accountability Project condemned Cameron for not charging all three officers.
“It is not up to the Attorney General to exonerate these officers. His job is merely to determine if there is probable cause to charge them. Clearly there is in this case, as there has been in so many others,” said NPAP President Michael Avery in a statement. “The Attorney General should not be allowed to blame the grand jury for failing to indict more officers on more serious charges — if he had pushed for those indictments, he would have gotten them. It is time to begin holding police officers accountable to the criminal laws they are sworn to uphold.”
Hankison was fired from the Louisville Police Department on June 23. A termination letter sent to him by interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said the White officer had violated procedures by showing “extreme indifference to the value of human life” when he “wantonly and blindly” fired 10 rounds into Taylor’s apartment.
On Sept. 15, Louisville settled a lawsuit against the three officers brought by Taylor’s mother, Tamika Parker, agreeing to pay her $12 million and enact police reforms.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-09-24--Trump won’t commit to a peaceful transfer of power

By Aamer Madhani and Kevin Freking | Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday again declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the Nov. 3 presidential election .
“ We ’ re going to have to see what happens , ” Trump said at a news conference , responding to a question about whether he ’ d commit to a peaceful transfer of power .
“ You know that I ’ ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots , and the ballots are a disaster.
” Trump has been pressing a monthslong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeting and speaking out critically about the practice .
More states are encouraging mail-in voting to keep voters safe amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The president , who uses mail-in voting himself , has tried to distinguish between states that automatically send mail ballots to all registered voters and those , like Florida , that send them only to voters who request a mail ballot .
Trump has baselessly claimed widespread mail voting will lead to massive fraud .
The five states that routinely send mail ballots to all voters have seen no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suggest that if states got “ rid of ” the unsolicited mailing of ballots there would be no concern about fraud or peaceful transfers of power .
“ You ’ ll have a very peaceful — there won ’ t be a transfer frankly , ” Trump said .
“ There ’ ll be a continuation .
The ballots are out of control , you know it , and you know , who knows it better than anybody else ?
The Democrats know it better than anybody else.
” In a July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accepting the results , and he made similar comments ahead of the 2016 election .
“ I have to see .
Look … I have to see , ” Trump told Chris Wallace during a wide-ranging July interview on “ Fox News Sunday.
” “ No , I ’ m not going to just say yes .
I ’ m not going to say no , and I didn ’ t last time either.
” The Biden campaign responded Wednesday , as it did after Trump ’ s July comments : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House.
” It is highly unusual that a sitting president would express less than complete confidence in the American democracy ’ s electoral process .
But Trump four years ago , when in the closing stages of his race against Hillary Clinton , also declined to commit to honoring the election results if the Democrat won .
When asked during an October 2016 debate about whether he would abide by the voters ’ will , Trump responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspense.
” It ’ s unlikely that any chaos in states with universal mail-in voting will cause the election result to be inaccurately tabulated , as Trump has suggested .
The five states that already have such balloting have had time to ramp up their systems , while four states newly adopting it — California , New Jersey , Nevada and Vermont — have not .
Washington , D.C. , is also newly adopting it .
Of those nine states , only Nevada is a battleground , worth six electoral votes and likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential deadlock .
California , New Jersey , Vermont and D.C. are overwhelmingly Democratic and likely to be won by that party ’ s nominee , former Vice President Joe Biden .

[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/09/23/trump-peaceful-transfer-of-power-borger-tsr-sot-vpx.cnn”]
By Aamer Madhani and Kevin Freking | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday again declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the Nov. 3 presidential election.
“We’re going to have to see what happens,” Trump said at a news conference, responding to a question about whether he’d commit to a peaceful transfer of power. “You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster.”
Trump has been pressing a monthslong campaign against mail-in voting this November by tweeting and speaking out critically about the practice. More states are encouraging mail-in voting to keep voters safe amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The president, who uses mail-in voting himself, has tried to distinguish between states that automatically send mail ballots to all registered voters and those, like Florida, that send them only to voters who request a mail ballot.
Trump has baselessly claimed widespread mail voting will lead to massive fraud. The five states that routinely send mail ballots to all voters have seen no significant fraud.
Trump on Wednesday appeared to suggest that if states got “rid of” the unsolicited mailing of ballots there would be no concern about fraud or peaceful transfers of power.
“You’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer frankly,” Trump said. “There’ll be a continuation. The ballots are out of control, you know it, and you know, who knows it better than anybody else? The Democrats know it better than anybody else.”
In a July interview, Trump similarly refused to commit to accepting the results, and he made similar comments ahead of the 2016 election.
“I have to see. Look … I have to see,” Trump told Chris Wallace during a wide-ranging July interview on “Fox News Sunday.” “No, I’m not going to just say yes. I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last time either.”
The Biden campaign responded Wednesday, as it did after Trump’s July comments: “The American people will decide this election. And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House.”
It is highly unusual that a sitting president would express less than complete confidence in the American democracy’s electoral process. But Trump four years ago, when in the closing stages of his race against Hillary Clinton, also declined to commit to honoring the election results if the Democrat won.
When asked during an October 2016 debate about whether he would abide by the voters’ will, Trump responded that he would “keep you in suspense.”
It’s unlikely that any chaos in states with universal mail-in voting will cause the election result to be inaccurately tabulated, as Trump has suggested.
The five states that already have such balloting have had time to ramp up their systems, while four states newly adopting it — California, New Jersey, Nevada and Vermont — have not. Washington, D.C., is also newly adopting it.
Of those nine states, only Nevada is a battleground, worth six electoral votes and likely to be pivotal only in a national presidential deadlock.
California, New Jersey, Vermont and D.C. are overwhelmingly Democratic and likely to be won by that party’s nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden.