mercurynews--2020-11-03--Marin County might order quarantine for some travelers

Marin residents who travel over the holidays to other states where coronavirus transmission is higher than the Bay Area could be subject to a 14-day quarantine when they return , officials said .
The potential restrictions come as Marin and Bay Area authorities seek to reopen all schools for in-person instruction — while maintaining the county ’ s orange tier 3 , or moderate , virus prevalence status — even as the holiday travel season approaches .
“ This is a shift in the dynamic completely , ” Dr. Matt Willis , Marin County ’ s public health officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We were , as a region , a hot spot — especially early on — there wasn ’ t as much of a concern that people might travel to other parts of this nation , because the incidence was lower in most other places.
” “ But now , that ’ s reversed , and we ’ re relatively protected , ” he said .
“ There ’ s consideration of a potential recommendation , or even an order , to quarantine for people who travel out of the region — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where there ’ s a higher prevalence — when you return to the area.
” Willis said there has been no final decision on quarantines — either as a recommendation or an order .
“ But I offer that just by way to show that this is how seriously we are taking this , ” he said .
“ One of the key strategies that ’ s been implemented globally is quarantine .
So you either shut the borders , or if you ’ ve been outside the area and come back , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine for 14 days.
” He said if people don ’ t develop symptoms after they get back , they are OK. “ Or , come back for a period of time and get tested , ” he added .
“ If the test is negative then you can return to your school or your workplace.
” Dr. Lisa Santora , deputy public health officer , said that Marin residents who are thinking of traveling should check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on virus transmission in each state at covid.cdc.gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right time to travel to that particular state ?
” Santora said .
“ Or should you wait until that state is experiencing a downward trend in their COVID-19 cases ?
” If the desired destination has high virus prevalence , families might want to delay the visit , she said .
“ Because the reality is with this virus , the more it ’ s circulating in the community — no matter what activities you ’ re participating in — there will be more COVID transmission , ” Santora said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Willis and Santora said they hope to strike a balance between reopening all Marin school campuses and simultaneously allowing more mixing of student cohorts and family groups .
Under new , looser , orange tier 3 restrictions , the county is recommending holiday or other gatherings be limited to no more than three families — and be held outdoors .
As to schools , the new orange tier 3 recommendations are for children to be exposed to no more than three “ cohorts ” — or small , stable groups — per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , that an elementary school child could attend a homeroom class , an after-school program and one other activity — such as a mixed martial arts club — per day .
Each sports club or class needs to maintain 6 feet of social distancing among students and only focus on strengthening and conditioning — as opposed to contact sports or high-contact games , she said .
“ We ’ re hearing a lot of reports that some private youth sports clubs aren ’ t following the guidelines , ” Santora said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health and Human Services has released a new “ decision tree ” for parents to help them understand the most important coronavirus symptoms and risks for their children .
The decision tree outlines when to keep children home from school or when they should get tested .
“ The key for this is your gut instinct , ” Santora said .
“ It ’ s really about what risks your child has engaged in that might have placed them at higher risk for COVID-19.
” More information is online at coronavirus.marinhhs.org/schools .
Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said she expects that almost all Marin school districts will launch at least some form of in-person instruction in their schools by later this month .
“ One of the things is , the information has been evolving , ” she said .
“ It continues to evolve — and , as hard as our school districts try to stay up on the data , and as much as we are moving information from public health to our school districts , it is continuing to evolve.
” • Cases of coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Pac-12 announces in-season COVID-19 testing protocols to solve the false-positive problem on game day Burke said each school community is making its own decisions about the best way to get students back to the classroom safely .
Those decisions are identified on a school-by-school document known as a site-specific protection plan .
All the approved school site-specific protection plans are posted at marinschools.org .
“ We ’ re navigating a lot of fear , worry and anxiety , ” Santora said .
She said the county is providing its guidance , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protocols that go beyond what public health recommends .
“ We respect that , ” Santora said .
“ For us , we are strongly committed to finding the place where we can agree on the best way bring our kids back to school .
That is our top priority .
”

Marin residents who travel over the holidays to other states where coronavirus transmission is higher than the Bay Area could be subject to a 14-day quarantine when they return, officials said.
The potential restrictions come as Marin and Bay Area authorities seek to reopen all schools for in-person instruction — while maintaining the county’s orange tier 3, or moderate, virus prevalence status — even as the holiday travel season approaches.
“This is a shift in the dynamic completely,” Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s public health officer, said in a webinar posted at marinschools.org. “We were, as a region, a hot spot — especially early on — there wasn’t as much of a concern that people might travel to other parts of this nation, because the incidence was lower in most other places.”
“But now, that’s reversed, and we’re relatively protected,” he said. “There’s consideration of a potential recommendation, or even an order, to quarantine for people who travel out of the region — especially if you fly to other states where there’s a higher prevalence — when you return to the area.”
Willis said there has been no final decision on quarantines — either as a recommendation or an order.
“But I offer that just by way to show that this is how seriously we are taking this,” he said. “One of the key strategies that’s been implemented globally is quarantine. So you either shut the borders, or if you’ve been outside the area and come back, you need to isolate for period of quarantine for 14 days.”
He said if people don’t develop symptoms after they get back, they are OK. “Or, come back for a period of time and get tested,” he added. “If the test is negative then you can return to your school or your workplace.”
Dr. Lisa Santora, deputy public health officer, said that Marin residents who are thinking of traveling should check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on virus transmission in each state at covid.cdc.gov.
“Really consider, is now the right time to travel to that particular state?” Santora said. “Or should you wait until that state is experiencing a downward trend in their COVID-19 cases?”
If the desired destination has high virus prevalence, families might want to delay the visit, she said.
“Because the reality is with this virus, the more it’s circulating in the community — no matter what activities you’re participating in — there will be more COVID transmission,” Santora said.
In addition to warnings about travel, Willis and Santora said they hope to strike a balance between reopening all Marin school campuses and simultaneously allowing more mixing of student cohorts and family groups.
Under new, looser, orange tier 3 restrictions, the county is recommending holiday or other gatherings be limited to no more than three families — and be held outdoors.
As to schools, the new orange tier 3 recommendations are for children to be exposed to no more than three “cohorts” — or small, stable groups — per day.
Santora said that could mean, for example, that an elementary school child could attend a homeroom class, an after-school program and one other activity — such as a mixed martial arts club — per day.
Each sports club or class needs to maintain 6 feet of social distancing among students and only focus on strengthening and conditioning — as opposed to contact sports or high-contact games, she said.
“We’re hearing a lot of reports that some private youth sports clubs aren’t following the guidelines,” Santora said.
Santora said the county Department of Health and Human Services has released a new “decision tree” for parents to help them understand the most important coronavirus symptoms and risks for their children. The decision tree outlines when to keep children home from school or when they should get tested.
“The key for this is your gut instinct,” Santora said. “It’s really about what risks your child has engaged in that might have placed them at higher risk for COVID-19.”
More information is online at coronavirus.marinhhs.org/schools.
Mary Jane Burke, Marin superintendent of schools, said she expects that almost all Marin school districts will launch at least some form of in-person instruction in their schools by later this month.
“One of the things is, the information has been evolving,” she said. “It continues to evolve — and, as hard as our school districts try to stay up on the data, and as much as we are moving information from public health to our school districts, it is continuing to evolve.”
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Travel | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Burke said each school community is making its own decisions about the best way to get students back to the classroom safely. Those decisions are identified on a school-by-school document known as a site-specific protection plan. All the approved school site-specific protection plans are posted at marinschools.org.
“We’re navigating a lot of fear, worry and anxiety,” Santora said. She said the county is providing its guidance, but some schools have chosen to enforce stricter protocols that go beyond what public health recommends.
“We respect that,” Santora said. “For us, we are strongly committed to finding the place where we can agree on the best way bring our kids back to school. That is our top priority.”


mercurynews--2020-11-05--Presidential race: Vote counting enters Day 3 with Trump challenging the results

Democrat Joe Biden edged closer to victory in the presidential race on Thursday as election officials tallied votes in the handful of states that will determine the outcome and protesters took to the streets .
President Donald Trump alleged fraud without providing evidence , filed lawsuits and called for recounts in a race yet to be decided two days after polls closed .
The race was coming down to close contests in five states .
Biden held narrow leads in Nevada and Arizona while Trump was watching his slim advantage fade in must-win states Pennsylvania and Georgia as mail-in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president clung to a narrow lead in North Carolina as well , another must-win for him .
Trump had to win the states where he was still ahead plus either Arizona or Nevada to triumph and avoid becoming the first incumbent U.S. president to lose a re-election bid since George H.W .
Bush in 1992 .
Edison Research gave Biden a 243 to 213 lead in Electoral College votes , which are largely based on a state ’ s population .
Other networks said Biden had won Wisconsin , which would give him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included Arizona , which would bring him to 264 .
To win , a candidate needs 270 votes — meaning Nevada ’ s six votes would decide it for Biden .
The counting and court challenges set the stage for days if not weeks of uncertainty before the Electoral College meets on Dec. 14 and the next president is sworn in on Jan. 20 .
With tensions rising , about 200 of Trump ’ s supporters , some armed with rifles and handguns , gathered outside an election office in Phoenix on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being counted .
In Detroit , officials blocked about 30 people , mostly Republicans , from entering a vote-counting facility amid unfounded claims that the vote count in Michigan was fraudulent .
Anti-Trump protesters in other cities demanded that vote counting continue .
Police arrested 11 people and seized weapons in Portland , Oregon , after reports of rioting , while arrests were also made in New York , Denver and Minneapolis .
By early Thursday , Biden had 3.6 million more votes than Trump nationwide , but margins were razor-thin in several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump by roughly 21,000 votes out of 3.3 million cast .
In Georgia , Trump led by 19,000 votes out of nearly 5 million cast .
Biden , 77 , predicted victory on Wednesday and launched a website to begin the transition to a Democratic-controlled White House .
Trump , 74 , has long sought to undermine the credibility of the voting process if he lost .
Since Election Day , he has falsely declared victory , accused Democrats of trying to steal the election without evidence and vowed to fight states in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is rare .
Trump ’ s campaign called for a Wisconsin recount — which he would be entitled to given the slim margin there — as well filing lawsuits in Michigan and Pennsylvania to stop vote counting .
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson , in charge of elections , called the Trump team ’ s lawsuit “ frivolous.
” Trump ’ s campaign filed a lawsuit in Georgia to require that Chatham County , which includes the city of Savannah , separate and secure late-arriving ballots to ensure they are not counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court to allow Trump to join a pending lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania Republicans over whether the battleground state should be permitted to accept late-arriving ballots .
Several states allow mailed-in votes to be accepted after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3 .
That includes Pennsylvania , where ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 can be accepted if they arrive up to three days later .
Trump appeared to suggest that those ballots should not be counted and that he would fight for that outcome at the high court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s declaration .
The maneuvers amounted to a broad effort to contest the results before counting has concluded .
“ They are finding Biden votes all over the place — in Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , and Michigan .
So bad for our Country !
” Trump posted on Twitter .
Biden said every vote must be counted .
“ No one ’ s going to take our democracy away from us , not now , not ever , ” he said on Wednesday .
If victorious , Biden will face a tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poised to keep control of the U.S. Senate , which they could use to block large parts of his legislative agenda , including expanding healthcare and fighting climate change .
U.S. stock index futures jumped on Thursday as investors bet that potential gridlock in Washington could reduce the chance of major policy changes , although concerns remained about the risk of a contested election .
Supporters of both candidates expressed anger , frustration and fear with little clarity on when the election would be resolved .
Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she drew about 3 million more votes nationwide .
Republican candidates have won the popular vote only once since the 1980s , though they have won three out of seven presidential elections during that period due to the Electoral College system .

Democrat Joe Biden edged closer to victory in the presidential race on Thursday as election officials tallied votes in the handful of states that will determine the outcome and protesters took to the streets.
President Donald Trump alleged fraud without providing evidence, filed lawsuits and called for recounts in a race yet to be decided two days after polls closed.
The race was coming down to close contests in five states. Biden held narrow leads in Nevada and Arizona while Trump was watching his slim advantage fade in must-win states Pennsylvania and Georgia as mail-in and absentee votes were being counted. The president clung to a narrow lead in North Carolina as well, another must-win for him.
Trump had to win the states where he was still ahead plus either Arizona or Nevada to triumph and avoid becoming the first incumbent U.S. president to lose a re-election bid since George H.W. Bush in 1992.
Edison Research gave Biden a 243 to 213 lead in Electoral College votes, which are largely based on a state’s population. Other networks said Biden had won Wisconsin, which would give him another 10 votes, and some also included Arizona, which would bring him to 264. To win, a candidate needs 270 votes — meaning Nevada’s six votes would decide it for Biden.
The counting and court challenges set the stage for days if not weeks of uncertainty before the Electoral College meets on Dec. 14 and the next president is sworn in on Jan. 20.
With tensions rising, about 200 of Trump’s supporters, some armed with rifles and handguns, gathered outside an election office in Phoenix on Wednesday following unsubstantiated rumors that votes were not being counted.
In Detroit, officials blocked about 30 people, mostly Republicans, from entering a vote-counting facility amid unfounded claims that the vote count in Michigan was fraudulent.
Anti-Trump protesters in other cities demanded that vote counting continue. Police arrested 11 people and seized weapons in Portland, Oregon, after reports of rioting, while arrests were also made in New York, Denver and Minneapolis.
By early Thursday, Biden had 3.6 million more votes than Trump nationwide, but margins were razor-thin in several states. In Wisconsin, Biden led Trump by roughly 21,000 votes out of 3.3 million cast. In Georgia, Trump led by 19,000 votes out of nearly 5 million cast.
Biden, 77, predicted victory on Wednesday and launched a website to begin the transition to a Democratic-controlled White House.
Trump, 74, has long sought to undermine the credibility of the voting process if he lost. Since Election Day, he has falsely declared victory, accused Democrats of trying to steal the election without evidence and vowed to fight states in court.
U.S. election experts say fraud is rare.
Trump’s campaign called for a Wisconsin recount — which he would be entitled to given the slim margin there — as well filing lawsuits in Michigan and Pennsylvania to stop vote counting. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, in charge of elections, called the Trump team’s lawsuit “frivolous.”
Trump’s campaign filed a lawsuit in Georgia to require that Chatham County, which includes the city of Savannah, separate and secure late-arriving ballots to ensure they are not counted.
It also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow Trump to join a pending lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania Republicans over whether the battleground state should be permitted to accept late-arriving ballots.
Several states allow mailed-in votes to be accepted after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3. That includes Pennsylvania, where ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 can be accepted if they arrive up to three days later.
Trump appeared to suggest that those ballots should not be counted and that he would fight for that outcome at the high court. But legal experts were dubious of Trump’s declaration.
The maneuvers amounted to a broad effort to contest the results before counting has concluded.
“They are finding Biden votes all over the place — in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. So bad for our Country!” Trump posted on Twitter.
Biden said every vote must be counted. “No one’s going to take our democracy away from us, not now, not ever,” he said on Wednesday.
If victorious, Biden will face a tough battle to govern, with Republicans appearing poised to keep control of the U.S. Senate, which they could use to block large parts of his legislative agenda, including expanding healthcare and fighting climate change.
U.S. stock index futures jumped on Thursday as investors bet that potential gridlock in Washington could reduce the chance of major policy changes, although concerns remained about the risk of a contested election.
Supporters of both candidates expressed anger, frustration and fear with little clarity on when the election would be resolved.
Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 after winning crucial battleground states even though she drew about 3 million more votes nationwide.
Republican candidates have won the popular vote only once since the 1980s, though they have won three out of seven presidential elections during that period due to the Electoral College system.


mercurynews--2020-11-05--Why Big Tech may be hoping for a Joe Biden presidency

As the country awaits the outcome of the US presidential election , Corporate America is watching closely , especially Silicon Valley .
Big Tech — like other large US companies — benefited from corporate tax cuts implemented under President Donald Trump .
In many cases , the smaller tax payments helped boost their profits .
However , not all of Trump ’ s policies and actions during his first term have played well with Big Tech .
Trump launched a trade war with China , creating uncertainty for tech supply chains .
He restricted key work visa programs that technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers .
During the president ’ s time in office , the Justice Department has probed Big Tech for potential antitrust violations , and the US government recently sued Google over charges of anti-competitive behavior .
And Trump has accused social media platforms of censorship and bias .
These issues haven ’ t stopped Big Tech ’ s rapid growth over the past four years — Apple , Amazon , Microsoft , Google , Facebook , Tesla and Netflix together are now collectively worth nearly $ 8 trillion , up from $ 2.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , tech leaders may be eager for a change .
“ I think we have to separate the performance of the stocks from the challenges for the companies , ” said DA Davidson analyst Tom Forte .
Another shift under Trump that could threaten Big Tech ’ s success : America ’ s changing “ standing in the world , ” said Mark Lemley , a professor at Stanford Law School and director of the Stanford Program in Law , Science and Technology .
“ Silicon Valley succeeds because everybody wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brightest people around the world come here to go to school , they come here to work at companies , they stay , they found their own companies , ” Lemley said .
“ Even apart from the challenges to immigration … there ’ s a worry that America and SIlicon Valley might not hold that position in the world ’ s esteem in the future.
” Much of that could change if Joe Biden ultimately wins the election .
Even on issues with bipartisan support , such as reforming Section 230 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Biden administration would take a different approach from the Trump White House .
Industry insiders have also lauded the selection of Senator Kamala Harris as Biden ’ s running mate , given her experience working on technology issues .
Employees at Big Tech companies appear to largely support Biden — a CNN review of campaign reports in September showed that workers at Amazon , Google , Facebook and Apple donated three times more to Biden ’ s campaign in July than to Trump ’ s .
Beyond tech , many American corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose actions some think could be more predictable than Trump ’ s , despite risks of higher corporate taxes and increased regulations .
Here are a few of the key issues for Silicon Valley , and where experts expect Biden would stand .
Silicon Valley condemned Trump ’ s restrictions on visa programs that tech companies rely on to bring in skilled foreign workers .
Biden has pledged to take a more open stance on immigration .
Among his related policy proposals , Biden plans to exempt from any immigration cap “ recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US who are poised to make some of the most important contributions to the world economy , ” according to his website .
“ Historically , a more immigrant-friendly policy is beneficial for big tech , to the extent that it increases their talent pool for engineers , ” Forte said .
The CEOs of some of Silicon Valley ’ s largest companies — including Google , Microsoft and Tesla — are immigrants .
The Trump administration has taken an aggressive approach to many issues related to China and technology , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US operations of Chinese tech firms such as TikTok and the export of US semiconductor manufacturing equipment to some Chinese firms .
The White House also implemented tariffs on US goods made in China , and Trump has said he wants tech companies to bring manufacturing and production to the United States .
The tariffs forced companies to reconsider manufacturing in China and threatened to raise prices for consumers , but they didn ’ t lead to a widespread resurgence of US tech manufacturing jobs .
Many Wall Street analysts expect a Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on China tech and policy issues , Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors earlier this week .
That could help reduce the risk to American tech companies of losing customers in the key Chinese market .
Apple , for example , relies on China for around 15 % of its sales .
And semiconductor companies such as Intel and AMD have also long counted on sales in the country .
Biden ’ s “ Made in America ” plan does include investments in US manufacturing as well as technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on both sides of the aisle have concerns about what China ’ s continued technological development will mean for US national security , something the next President will have to manage regardless of who is elected .
Two of the most prominent issues for Big Tech — antitrust pressure and Section 230 — are more complicated .
Because at least some bipartisan agreement exists that these issues need to be addressed , it ’ s unclear whether Silicon Valley would benefit from a Biden presidency .
Biden , like Trump , has called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that protects tech companies ’ ability to moderate content as they see fit , without being held liable for , say , users posting hate speech .
But Democrats and Republicans have differing reasons for opposing the law .
Democrats want to hold tech firms responsible for removing hate speech and misinformation from their platforms ; Republicans claim that by removing or moderating any content , tech companies engage in bias or censorship .
If , under Biden , Democrats introduced new regulations to replace Section 230 , tech companies would likely welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removes the liability protection Section 230 provides , Lemley said .
Eliminating the liability , which is more in line with Republican critiques , could set tech firms up for an onslaught of legal battles over content decisions .
Experts say antitrust pressure on the biggest tech firms is likely to continue regardless of who is in the White House next year .
Democratic lawmakers have in recent years supported broad antitrust enforcement of Big Tech .
A Biden administration could also more tightly regulate merger and acquisition activity by Silicon Valley giants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the larger tech ecosystem , though .
“ We might get more competition and more innovation in Silicon Valley in a world where we had more antitrust enforcement , ” Lemley said .
While these issues are by far the biggest flashpoints for Big Tech , Biden has laid out policy proposals in a number of other areas that are relevant to the industry .
• Biden wins Michigan , Wisconsin , now on brink of White House • Likely victory by 49ers ’ picks in Santa Clara council could weaken mayor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bay Area Democrats are horrified 68 million voters backed Trump A few examples : It is widely expected that a Biden administration would restore net neutrality , which experts say would be good for the tech ecosystem .
His plans to invest in higher education and make it more widely accessible could also benefit Big Tech , which relies on a highly skilled workforce .
Biden also committed to investing $ 20 billion to build broadband infrastructure for communities that currently lack it — a major undertaking that could help bridge the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And Biden has proposed reforming the FCC ’ s Lifeline program , which helps low-income consumers afford broadband .
“ I think that would be net beneficial to all the Big Tech companies , to the extent that more consumers had a high speed internet connection , ” growing their potential customer base , Forte said .

As the country awaits the outcome of the US presidential election, Corporate America is watching closely, especially Silicon Valley.
Big Tech — like other large US companies — benefited from corporate tax cuts implemented under President Donald Trump. In many cases, the smaller tax payments helped boost their profits. However, not all of Trump’s policies and actions during his first term have played well with Big Tech.
Trump launched a trade war with China, creating uncertainty for tech supply chains. He restricted key work visa programs that technology firms rely on to hire skilled foreign workers. During the president’s time in office, the Justice Department has probed Big Tech for potential antitrust violations, and the US government recently sued Google over charges of anti-competitive behavior. And Trump has accused social media platforms of censorship and bias.
These issues haven’t stopped Big Tech’s rapid growth over the past four years — Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Tesla and Netflix together are now collectively worth nearly $8 trillion, up from $2.4 trillion the day after the 2016 election. Still, tech leaders may be eager for a change.
“I think we have to separate the performance of the stocks from the challenges for the companies,” said DA Davidson analyst Tom Forte.
Another shift under Trump that could threaten Big Tech’s success: America’s changing “standing in the world,” said Mark Lemley, a professor at Stanford Law School and director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology.
“Silicon Valley succeeds because everybody wants to come here, the best and brightest people around the world come here to go to school, they come here to work at companies, they stay, they found their own companies,” Lemley said. “Even apart from the challenges to immigration … there’s a worry that America and SIlicon Valley might not hold that position in the world’s esteem in the future.”
Much of that could change if Joe Biden ultimately wins the election.
Even on issues with bipartisan support, such as reforming Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, experts expect a Biden administration would take a different approach from the Trump White House. Industry insiders have also lauded the selection of Senator Kamala Harris as Biden’s running mate, given her experience working on technology issues.
Employees at Big Tech companies appear to largely support Biden — a CNN review of campaign reports in September showed that workers at Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple donated three times more to Biden’s campaign in July than to Trump’s. Beyond tech, many American corporate leaders have said they favor Biden, whose actions some think could be more predictable than Trump’s, despite risks of higher corporate taxes and increased regulations.
Here are a few of the key issues for Silicon Valley, and where experts expect Biden would stand.
Immigration
Silicon Valley condemned Trump’s restrictions on visa programs that tech companies rely on to bring in skilled foreign workers.
Biden has pledged to take a more open stance on immigration. Among his related policy proposals, Biden plans to exempt from any immigration cap “recent graduates of PhD programs in STEM fields in the US who are poised to make some of the most important contributions to the world economy,” according to his website.
“Historically, a more immigrant-friendly policy is beneficial for big tech, to the extent that it increases their talent pool for engineers,” Forte said.
The CEOs of some of Silicon Valley’s largest companies — including Google, Microsoft and Tesla — are immigrants.
China
The Trump administration has taken an aggressive approach to many issues related to China and technology, including Chinese telecom giant Huawei, the US operations of Chinese tech firms such as TikTok and the export of US semiconductor manufacturing equipment to some Chinese firms.
The White House also implemented tariffs on US goods made in China, and Trump has said he wants tech companies to bring manufacturing and production to the United States. The tariffs forced companies to reconsider manufacturing in China and threatened to raise prices for consumers, but they didn’t lead to a widespread resurgence of US tech manufacturing jobs.
Many Wall Street analysts expect a Biden administration would take a slightly softer stance on China tech and policy issues, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors earlier this week.
That could help reduce the risk to American tech companies of losing customers in the key Chinese market. Apple, for example, relies on China for around 15% of its sales. And semiconductor companies such as Intel and AMD have also long counted on sales in the country. Biden’s “Made in America” plan does include investments in US manufacturing as well as technology research and development.
Still, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have concerns about what China’s continued technological development will mean for US national security, something the next President will have to manage regardless of who is elected.
Section 230 and Antitrust
Two of the most prominent issues for Big Tech — antitrust pressure and Section 230 — are more complicated. Because at least some bipartisan agreement exists that these issues need to be addressed, it’s unclear whether Silicon Valley would benefit from a Biden presidency.
Biden, like Trump, has called for repealing Section 230, the law that protects tech companies’ ability to moderate content as they see fit, without being held liable for, say, users posting hate speech.
But Democrats and Republicans have differing reasons for opposing the law. Democrats want to hold tech firms responsible for removing hate speech and misinformation from their platforms; Republicans claim that by removing or moderating any content, tech companies engage in bias or censorship.
If, under Biden, Democrats introduced new regulations to replace Section 230, tech companies would likely welcome that more than a plan that simply removes the liability protection Section 230 provides, Lemley said. Eliminating the liability, which is more in line with Republican critiques, could set tech firms up for an onslaught of legal battles over content decisions.
Experts say antitrust pressure on the biggest tech firms is likely to continue regardless of who is in the White House next year.
Democratic lawmakers have in recent years supported broad antitrust enforcement of Big Tech. A Biden administration could also more tightly regulate merger and acquisition activity by Silicon Valley giants.
That could be good news for the larger tech ecosystem, though.
“We might get more competition and more innovation in Silicon Valley in a world where we had more antitrust enforcement,” Lemley said.
Investments and regulation
While these issues are by far the biggest flashpoints for Big Tech, Biden has laid out policy proposals in a number of other areas that are relevant to the industry.
A few examples: It is widely expected that a Biden administration would restore net neutrality, which experts say would be good for the tech ecosystem. His plans to invest in higher education and make it more widely accessible could also benefit Big Tech, which relies on a highly skilled workforce.
Biden also committed to investing $20 billion to build broadband infrastructure for communities that currently lack it — a major undertaking that could help bridge the digital divide highlighted by the pandemic. And Biden has proposed reforming the FCC’s Lifeline program, which helps low-income consumers afford broadband.
“I think that would be net beneficial to all the Big Tech companies, to the extent that more consumers had a high speed internet connection,” growing their potential customer base, Forte said.
The-CNN-Wire
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mercurynews--2020-11-05--Remains of missing California firefighter found by authorities in Mexico

LOS ANGELES — Mexican authorities have found the body of a Los Angeles firefighter who vanished in August and was shot during a botched kidnapping , it was announced Wednesday .
There was a “ full identification ” of Francisco Aguilar , whose cremated skeletal remains were found in an uninhabited area on Oct. 23 , said Hiram Sánchez , Baja California central state prosecutor , at a news conference Wednesday evening .
Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas expressed condolences to the family of Aguilar , 48 , a Rancho Cucamonga resident .
“ This is a tragic outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end differently , ” he said in a statement .
Aguilar , a 20-year veteran city firefighter and paramedic , disappeared on Aug. 20 after traveling to his condominium near Rosarito .
Last month two Mexican nationals , a 32-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man , were arrested on a highway near Rosarito Beach , south of Tijuana .
Authorities said they had some of Aguilar ’ s belongings in their possession , including credit cards that had been used in Rosarito , Ensenada and Tijuana after his disappearance .
They will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According the investigation , a woman Aguilar knew , identified as Fanny “ N , ” lured him to a meeting in order to kidnap the firefighter and hold him for ransom , Sánchez said .
When he arrived at the meeting place , a van intercepted him and Aguilar tried to flee before a man , identified as Santos “ N , ” shot him , Sánchez said .
It wasn ’ t clear whether the shot killed Aguilar , but he died at some point during the crime and the couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sánchez said .
Authorities have said the couple denied having any information about Aguilar ’ s whereabouts .
Sánchez added that there was another person involved in the crime , although he didn ’ t immediately provide details .
Detectives also found Aguilar ’ s Jeep , which was stolen by the couple and sold to a third person who didn ’ t know where the car came from , Sánchez said .

LOS ANGELES — Mexican authorities have found the body of a Los Angeles firefighter who vanished in August and was shot during a botched kidnapping, it was announced Wednesday.
There was a “full identification” of Francisco Aguilar, whose cremated skeletal remains were found in an uninhabited area on Oct. 23, said Hiram Sánchez, Baja California central state prosecutor, at a news conference Wednesday evening.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas expressed condolences to the family of Aguilar, 48, a Rancho Cucamonga resident.
“This is a tragic outcome to a case we were hoping would end differently,” he said in a statement.
Aguilar, a 20-year veteran city firefighter and paramedic, disappeared on Aug. 20 after traveling to his condominium near Rosarito.
Last month two Mexican nationals, a 32-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man, were arrested on a highway near Rosarito Beach, south of Tijuana.
Authorities said they had some of Aguilar’s belongings in their possession, including credit cards that had been used in Rosarito, Ensenada and Tijuana after his disappearance.
They will be charged with homicide, Sánchez said.
According the investigation, a woman Aguilar knew, identified as Fanny “N,” lured him to a meeting in order to kidnap the firefighter and hold him for ransom, Sánchez said.
When he arrived at the meeting place, a van intercepted him and Aguilar tried to flee before a man, identified as Santos “N,” shot him, Sánchez said.
It wasn’t clear whether the shot killed Aguilar, but he died at some point during the crime and the couple cremated his body in Playas de Rosarito, Sánchez said.
Authorities have said the couple denied having any information about Aguilar’s whereabouts.
Sánchez added that there was another person involved in the crime, although he didn’t immediately provide details.
Detectives also found Aguilar’s Jeep, which was stolen by the couple and sold to a third person who didn’t know where the car came from, Sánchez said.


mercurynews--2020-11-05--NBA, union expected to agree to Dec. 22 start to season, according to reports

With hundreds of millions of dollars on the line , the NBA and the players ’ union are poised to approve a Dec. 22 start to the 2020-21 season as soon as Thursday , multiple media outlets reported .
The NBA has spent the last few weeks pitching a short turnaround between seasons , with a 72-game schedule that would include games on Christmas Day .
ESPN and The New York Times reported that the league ’ s board of governors and the National Basketball Players ’ Association were expected to vote on the proposed changes to the Collective Bargaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and both bodies are expected to approve it .
At stake is an estimated $ 500 million to $ 1 billion for a league that is already expecting severe revenue shortfalls next year , due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
With many arenas situated in cities that have yet to lift mass gathering restrictions , the NBA is on track to lose a significant chunk of its revenue through gate receipts , which has been reported as high as 40 percent .
The league is hoping to make up for those losses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seasons , one that will thrust the Lakers and Miami Heat into a new season just 72 days after Game 6 of the NBA Finals .
While it is likely to add stress to an already unusual offseason that will host free agency likely just days before players have to report to their markets ( expected to be Dec. 1 ) , the financial implications are widely seen to be too great to ignore .
Several Lakers , including veterans Danny Green and Jared Dudley , publicly expressed support for a later date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Athletic of the early start : “ We have to.
” The presumed agreement would sidestep a nuclear option of ending the CBA and the league ’ s revenue split with the players .
The NBA and NBPA already have extended the deadline for an agreement four times , the last of these extensions landing on Friday .
ESPN reported earlier this week that Commissioner Adam Silver told team owners that the league was running out of time to start the season in December if negotiations dragged on longer .
ESPN reported that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s trade moratorium would be lifted after the changes to the CBA , followed by the NBA Draft on Nov. 18 .
The New York Times reported that free agency could begin two or three days following the draft .
One of the major factors that still has to be settled is the amount of player salary held in escrow .
ESPN reported the league will hold an estimated 18 percent over the next two years to smooth out the revenue losses .
The NBA typically holds 10 percent of player salary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players and owners is determined at the end of the season .
ESPN ’ s Bobby Marks estimated $ 720 million to $ 800 million would be held in escrow under the presumed model for next season .
While the title-winning Lakers will have to thrust quickly back into the fray with a roster of veterans , many other teams have had more normal offseasons , including the eight non-bubble teams that have not played since March 11 , and non-playoff teams which were eliminated from the Orlando bubble by Aug. 15 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBA to begin getting back in sync with its traditional calendar year and finish before the start of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 , both insulating the league from more television competition ( ratings dipped dramatically this postseason ) and getting players and personnel back to their regular four-month offseason .
It ’ s unclear how the NBA will schedule games and travel or play in markets that still restrict the number of people at gatherings .
COVID cases have been rising nationally over the last month , and other sports leagues – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have struggled with playing games with regular travel in home markets due to positive tests .

With hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, the NBA and the players’ union are poised to approve a Dec. 22 start to the 2020-21 season as soon as Thursday, multiple media outlets reported.
The NBA has spent the last few weeks pitching a short turnaround between seasons, with a 72-game schedule that would include games on Christmas Day. ESPN and The New York Times reported that the league’s board of governors and the National Basketball Players’ Association were expected to vote on the proposed changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement on Thursday after weeks of negotiations, and both bodies are expected to approve it.
At stake is an estimated $500 million to $1 billion for a league that is already expecting severe revenue shortfalls next year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With many arenas situated in cities that have yet to lift mass gathering restrictions, the NBA is on track to lose a significant chunk of its revenue through gate receipts, which has been reported as high as 40 percent.
The league is hoping to make up for those losses in part with a shorter break between seasons, one that will thrust the Lakers and Miami Heat into a new season just 72 days after Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
While it is likely to add stress to an already unusual offseason that will host free agency likely just days before players have to report to their markets (expected to be Dec. 1), the financial implications are widely seen to be too great to ignore.
Several Lakers, including veterans Danny Green and Jared Dudley, publicly expressed support for a later date. But as one agent told The Athletic of the early start: “We have to.”
The presumed agreement would sidestep a nuclear option of ending the CBA and the league’s revenue split with the players. The NBA and NBPA already have extended the deadline for an agreement four times, the last of these extensions landing on Friday. ESPN reported earlier this week that Commissioner Adam Silver told team owners that the league was running out of time to start the season in December if negotiations dragged on longer.
ESPN reported that the expedited timeline will mean the NBA’s trade moratorium would be lifted after the changes to the CBA, followed by the NBA Draft on Nov. 18. The New York Times reported that free agency could begin two or three days following the draft.
One of the major factors that still has to be settled is the amount of player salary held in escrow. ESPN reported the league will hold an estimated 18 percent over the next two years to smooth out the revenue losses. The NBA typically holds 10 percent of player salary in escrow until the revenue split between players and owners is determined at the end of the season.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks estimated $720 million to $800 million would be held in escrow under the presumed model for next season.
While the title-winning Lakers will have to thrust quickly back into the fray with a roster of veterans, many other teams have had more normal offseasons, including the eight non-bubble teams that have not played since March 11, and non-playoff teams which were eliminated from the Orlando bubble by Aug. 15.
A fast-track offseason will also allow the NBA to begin getting back in sync with its traditional calendar year and finish before the start of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, both insulating the league from more television competition (ratings dipped dramatically this postseason) and getting players and personnel back to their regular four-month offseason.
It’s unclear how the NBA will schedule games and travel or play in markets that still restrict the number of people at gatherings. COVID cases have been rising nationally over the last month, and other sports leagues – particularly the NFL and college football – have struggled with playing games with regular travel in home markets due to positive tests.


mercurynews--2020-11-05--Oldest California voters remain a more muscular voting bloc than youngest voters

This could be seen as an eternal clash between old and new — wisdom and experience staring down youth and optimism , “ what is ” in high contrast with “ what might be.
” The flood of young voters into Election 2020 has grabbed headlines , but older voters remain what they ’ ve always been — the voting block most likely to turn out .
They ’ re whiter and more conservative than their multi-cultural , progressive grandchildren .
They fought fascism in World War II , lived the social and cultural upheaval of the 1960s Civil Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet Union , cheered the triumph of capitalism over communism .
And , four years ago , they were decisive in putting Donald Trump in office .
But despite the long lens of history , many older voters say they ’ ve never seen anything quite like the fracturing that has led up to this this year ’ s election , and they ’ re concerned about what comes next .
During the worst pandemic in 100 years , they ’ ve voted early and are volunteering at polling places .
And while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the election will end — and far too early to know which voters had the most influence — election data suggests older voters from California may have joined their grandkids to try to make Trump ’ s re-election difficult .
“ Most of the people I know are doing something — helping get out the vote , donating money to political campaigns for the first time .
And the ones who have donated in the past are giving more , ” said Becky Newman , president of the Orange County chapter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polls closed Tuesday , seasoned voters from Orange , Los Angeles , Riverside and San Bernardino counties were processing unique Election Day hopes and fears .
That included some giddy brand-new voters — seniors originally from Cambodia — who eagerly threw themselves into American-style democracy during what might be the weirdest election on record .
“ I always dreamed of one day becoming a U.S. citizen .
After so much hard work and learning , and with support from The Cambodian Family Community Center , my dream to become a citizen came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kem , 80 , of Santa Ana , in comments translated from Khmer by a case manager with The Cambodian Family .
“ I want to vote in this election because I want to ensure that my voice , as part of the Cambodian community , is heard , ” Heng Kem said .
“ Voting is not just a privilege .
It is a duty , and it should not be taken for granted.
” Don ’ t mess with the mature voters .
According to the California Secretary of State , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 and younger in the Golden State , while there are 4.5 million voters age 66 and above .
It ’ s like that across the country and , as people live longer , the ranks of seasoned voters are swelling .
In 1996 , 19 % of all registered voters were 65 or older .
Today , according to Pew Research Center , the 65-and-older crowd accounts for nearly a quarter ( 24 % ) of all registered voters .
The Public Policy Institute of California offers some other data that illustrates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up comprise 33 % of the state ’ s adult population and 46 % of likely voters .
But younger people , ages 28 to 34 , make up 32 % of all adults and only 22 % of likely voters .
“ In every presidential election since 2004 , Americans older than age 45 were the Republican Party ’ s counterweight to Democratic strength among younger voters .
It ’ s these older voters that kept Republicans competitive in the Electoral College and lead to Donald Trump ’ s 2016 victory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William H. Frey , senior fellow in the Brookings Institution ’ s Metropolitan Policy Program , in an analysis Oct. 28 .
“ Yet recent polling suggests these older voters — especially seniors age 65 and older — are turning away from Trump , if not Republicans in general .
While the long-term impact of their retreat is open to question ( since it might be linked to the administration ’ s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic ) , it is clear that even a modest shift to challenger Joe Biden on Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in most of this cycle ’ s swing states.
” In Southern California , where Democrats reign , it was still a mixed bag .
Willie J. Hagan is the retired president of Cal State Dominguez Hills and was interim president at Cal State Fullerton , lauded for his work improving graduation rates and support services at one of California ’ s most diverse campuses .
Now a Long Beach resident , he carried his mail ballot over to the Long Beach Convention Center and dropped it off last week .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much everybody that I know is very motivated , because they feel that Trump has taken the country in the wrong direction , ” Hagan said .
In these fractious times , he sees the “ Europeanisation ” of American politics .
Republicans and Democrats have always had different policies and approaches to problems , but in the end , he said , the differences weren ’ t vast .
Not so in Germany , France and Great Britain , where various political parties offer stark and radically divergent agendas and view one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This country now , in my mind , is becoming that , ” Hagan said .
“ The extreme polarization is hard to get rid of.
” In Big Bear , Maggie Edwards reads the Bible and tries to square Trump ’ s actions with the book ’ s teachings .
She was a Republican for many years , but became a registered Democrat after Trump .
“ In my wildest dreams , I couldn ’ t have imagined anything like this , the ugliness , ” Edwards said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , and I just don ’ t get it .
It goes against everything I was taught about the Bible in my 67 years.
” One of her daughters is a third-grade teacher in Big Bear , and Edwards has often volunteered there .
“ On the playground , one little boy said to another , ‘ Go back to Mexico !
The president is going to build a wall and keep you there.
’ The other little boy was so upset .
I haven ’ t always liked the president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I disrespected , where I thought , ‘ How did this happen ?
How did he get away with this ?
How many lies can he tell ?
’ “ I just don ’ t understand it .
He ’ s tearing our country apart , ” she said .
Lewis Powell , 80 , of Wildomar , was poll watching on Election Day at the Canyon Lake Golf & Country Club .
He wasn ’ t so concerned about COVID , saying its threat was overblown .
The retired dentist is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s certain that liberty itself hangs in the balance in the 2020 election .
“ I ’ m concerned about our freedoms and liberties , things that we won ’ t have much longer if Trump doesn ’ t get in , ” Powell said .
“ Justice .
Christianity .
Constitution and capitalism .
They made this country great .
I know what socialism is , it ’ s a step from communism .
That means they control you .
The government controls you .
They take taxes from you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Powell turned his mail ballot in last week with a group from his church .
He was a poll watcher in 2016 , too , feeling that the transport of completed ballots from polling place to county registrar ’ s office represented a “ huge weak link ” in the chain that could be exploited for mischief .
He hoped to follow the official van on Tuesday to keep an eye on it .
“ It ’ s just a total honor system , ” he said .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But when it comes to this stuff , I don ’ t trust anybody.
” Powell felt optimistic about Trump ’ s chances .
“ If the Republicans are in charge — some of them are involved in the deep state , I ’ m sure — we ’ ll have an opportunity to really change things for the good for the nation .
Not just for the economy , but for our school systems and a lot of things in our government .
If Biden got in , the solution to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just force the economy to shrink fast .
It ’ s the formula for a depression.
” At 92 , Herb Quick of Irvine has the long lens on history .
He talks about America ’ s tangles with voter suppression , from its earliest days when only white male landowners could vote , to a century of disenfranchisement for black voters , to the struggles of women , who only won the right in 1920 .
This may be the last time America sees two older white men vying for the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is passing .
• Biden wins Michigan , Wisconsin , now on brink of White House • Likely victory by 49ers ’ picks in Santa Clara council could weaken mayor ’ s hand • Even if Biden wins , Bay Area Democrats are horrified 68 million voters backed Trump “ There ’ s no question that the makeup of the country is changing , vastly , ” Quick said .
“ It ’ s no longer a white male country .
We have evolved as a democracy , and we continue to evolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people with darker skins are going to be increasingly important .
In California , white people are already in a minority , and I think that ’ s going to continue across the nation .
It will change .
That ’ s the way it is.
” Quick , who served in the U.S. Army after World War II , dropped off his ballot about 10 days ago .
He voted for Biden , and he ’ s optimistic .
“ We ’ ve never had a president like this , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is a total egomaniac .
But I think we will come out of the the Trump era , ” he said .
“ I ’ ll be relieved when everybody agrees that the election is over , and this is the decision , and we can move on .
”

This could be seen as an eternal clash between old and new — wisdom and experience staring down youth and optimism, “what is” in high contrast with “what might be.”
The flood of young voters into Election 2020 has grabbed headlines, but older voters remain what they’ve always been — the voting block most likely to turn out.
They’re whiter and more conservative than their multi-cultural, progressive grandchildren. They fought fascism in World War II, lived the social and cultural upheaval of the 1960s Civil Rights movement, witnessed the disintegration of the Soviet Union, cheered the triumph of capitalism over communism.
And, four years ago, they were decisive in putting Donald Trump in office.
But despite the long lens of history, many older voters say they’ve never seen anything quite like the fracturing that has led up to this this year’s election, and they’re concerned about what comes next. During the worst pandemic in 100 years, they’ve voted early and are volunteering at polling places. And while it’s too early to say how the election will end — and far too early to know which voters had the most influence — election data suggests older voters from California may have joined their grandkids to try to make Trump’s re-election difficult.
“Most of the people I know are doing something — helping get out the vote, donating money to political campaigns for the first time. And the ones who have donated in the past are giving more,” said Becky Newman, president of the Orange County chapter of the League of Women Voters.
“This is a tremendously important election. There’s a great deal at stake.”
As the polls closed Tuesday, seasoned voters from Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties were processing unique Election Day hopes and fears. That included some giddy brand-new voters — seniors originally from Cambodia — who eagerly threw themselves into American-style democracy during what might be the weirdest election on record.
“I always dreamed of one day becoming a U.S. citizen. After so much hard work and learning, and with support from The Cambodian Family Community Center, my dream to become a citizen came true in 2017,” said Heng Kem, 80, of Santa Ana, in comments translated from Khmer by a case manager with The Cambodian Family.
“I want to vote in this election because I want to ensure that my voice, as part of the Cambodian community, is heard,” Heng Kem said. “Voting is not just a privilege. It is a duty, and it should not be taken for granted.”
Powerful bloc
Don’t mess with the mature voters. According to the California Secretary of State, there are 2.9 million registered voters age 25 and younger in the Golden State, while there are 4.5 million voters age 66 and above.
It’s like that across the country and, as people live longer, the ranks of seasoned voters are swelling. In 1996, 19% of all registered voters were 65 or older. Today, according to Pew Research Center, the 65-and-older crowd accounts for nearly a quarter (24%) of all registered voters.
The Public Policy Institute of California offers some other data that illustrates the situation: People age 55 and up comprise 33% of the state’s adult population and 46% of likely voters. But younger people, ages 28 to 34, make up 32% of all adults and only 22% of likely voters.
“In every presidential election since 2004, Americans older than age 45 were the Republican Party’s counterweight to Democratic strength among younger voters. It’s these older voters that kept Republicans competitive in the Electoral College and lead to Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, despite losing the popular vote, wrote William H. Frey, senior fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, in an analysis Oct. 28.
“Yet recent polling suggests these older voters — especially seniors age 65 and older — are turning away from Trump, if not Republicans in general. While the long-term impact of their retreat is open to question (since it might be linked to the administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic), it is clear that even a modest shift to challenger Joe Biden on Election Day could lead to solid Democratic wins in most of this cycle’s swing states.”
In Southern California, where Democrats reign, it was still a mixed bag.
Motivated
Willie J. Hagan is the retired president of Cal State Dominguez Hills and was interim president at Cal State Fullerton, lauded for his work improving graduation rates and support services at one of California’s most diverse campuses. Now a Long Beach resident, he carried his mail ballot over to the Long Beach Convention Center and dropped it off last week.
“I’m very motivated, and pretty much everybody that I know is very motivated, because they feel that Trump has taken the country in the wrong direction,” Hagan said.
In these fractious times, he sees the “Europeanisation” of American politics.
Republicans and Democrats have always had different policies and approaches to problems, but in the end, he said, the differences weren’t vast. Not so in Germany, France and Great Britain, where various political parties offer stark and radically divergent agendas and view one another with suspicion, anger and fear. “This country now, in my mind, is becoming that,” Hagan said. “The extreme polarization is hard to get rid of.”
In Big Bear, Maggie Edwards reads the Bible and tries to square Trump’s actions with the book’s teachings. She was a Republican for many years, but became a registered Democrat after Trump.
“In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have imagined anything like this, the ugliness,” Edwards said. “Christians keep excusing him and voting for him, and I just don’t get it. It goes against everything I was taught about the Bible in my 67 years.”
One of her daughters is a third-grade teacher in Big Bear, and Edwards has often volunteered there. “On the playground, one little boy said to another, ‘Go back to Mexico! The president is going to build a wall and keep you there.’ The other little boy was so upset. I haven’t always liked the president, but there’s never been one that I disrespected, where I thought, ‘How did this happen? How did he get away with this? How many lies can he tell?’
“I just don’t understand it. He’s tearing our country apart,” she said.
Lewis Powell, 80, of Wildomar, was poll watching on Election Day at the Canyon Lake Golf & Country Club. He wasn’t so concerned about COVID, saying its threat was overblown. The retired dentist is a staunch Trump supporter, and said he’s certain that liberty itself hangs in the balance in the 2020 election.
“I’m concerned about our freedoms and liberties, things that we won’t have much longer if Trump doesn’t get in,” Powell said.
“Justice. Christianity. Constitution and capitalism. They made this country great. I know what socialism is, it’s a step from communism. That means they control you. The government controls you. They take taxes from you and do what they want with you.”
Powell turned his mail ballot in last week with a group from his church. He was a poll watcher in 2016, too, feeling that the transport of completed ballots from polling place to county registrar’s office represented a “huge weak link” in the chain that could be exploited for mischief. He hoped to follow the official van on Tuesday to keep an eye on it.
“It’s just a total honor system,” he said. “I’m not saying anything’s done wrong. But when it comes to this stuff, I don’t trust anybody.”
Powell felt optimistic about Trump’s chances. “If the Republicans are in charge — some of them are involved in the deep state, I’m sure — we’ll have an opportunity to really change things for the good for the nation. Not just for the economy, but for our school systems and a lot of things in our government. If Biden got in, the solution to everything is taxes. That’ll just force the economy to shrink fast. It’s the formula for a depression.”
Future
At 92, Herb Quick of Irvine has the long lens on history. He talks about America’s tangles with voter suppression, from its earliest days when only white male landowners could vote, to a century of disenfranchisement for black voters, to the struggles of women, who only won the right in 1920. This may be the last time America sees two older white men vying for the presidency. The baton, he believes, is passing.
“There’s no question that the makeup of the country is changing, vastly,” Quick said. “It’s no longer a white male country. We have evolved as a democracy, and we continue to evolve. More women than men vote, and people with darker skins are going to be increasingly important. In California, white people are already in a minority, and I think that’s going to continue across the nation. It will change. That’s the way it is.”
Quick, who served in the U.S. Army after World War II, dropped off his ballot about 10 days ago. He voted for Biden, and he’s optimistic.
“We’ve never had a president like this, a president who lies to you every day, who is a total egomaniac. But I think we will come out of the the Trump era,” he said.
“I’ll be relieved when everybody agrees that the election is over, and this is the decision, and we can move on.”


mercurynews--2020-11-05--Social justice on California ballot scores some victories, suffers some defeats

Why should suspects with money be able to leave jail while the gears of justice grind , while those without money are stuck behind bars ?
Should skin color , sex and ethnicity be factors in public college admissions , and who gets public jobs and contracts ?
Why should criminals who ’ ve been given probation instead of jail time be allowed to vote , while parolees – who did prison time and are finishing their sentences on the outside – are forbidden from voting ?
California voters wrestled with ballots chock full of complicated social justice issues on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and heightened awareness of historical wrongs .
While election results are not yet final , voters appear to have delivered a very mixed bag of decisions : No on considering skin color in public decision-making .
No on eliminating cash bail .
No on tougher criminal sentencing .
Yes on allowing parolees to vote .
Yes on redirecting money to social services .
Yes to the Los Angeles County District Attorney candidate who promises major reform .
“ The criminal justice measures that passed in California , along with George Gascon ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s race ) , are incredibly good news and aligned with the general trend in California over the past years to support criminal justice reform , ” said Alicia Virani , associate director of the Criminal Justice Program at the UCLA School of Law , who was once a deputy in the Orange County Public Defender ’ s Office .
Brian Levin , professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Cal State San Bernardino , would agree .
“ Voters were particularly concerned with redirecting the focus of the criminal justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as increasing concern about institutional racial disparities are an overlay to any such any debate , ” he said .
Karthick Ramakrishnan , professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside and founding director of the Center for Social Innovation , said there might not have been a clear verdict , “ but I think what you see is that Californians are supportive of advancing social justice .
They see racism as a significant problem .
But when it comes to particular solutions , if they have a problem with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote it down , ” he said .
But there ’ s always a but .
“ Some of the outcomes or projected outcomes on other ballot measures … are unfortunately a dismal reflection on where the state is at when it comes to social justice , ” said UCLA ’ s Virani .
“ While criminal justice reform and transformation is needed , we also need a state that will think comprehensively about the structural issues that allow for the criminal justice system to target poor communities and communities of color throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , played a tremendous role in this year ’ s proposition battles , with a record-breaking $ 785 million pouring in to support and oppose statewide ballot races .
“ One consistent message , ” said Ramakrishnan , “ is that money can make a big difference.
” Proposition 16 would have overturned California ’ s present ban on considering race , ethnicity , sex and national origin in public decision-making .
That official “ color-blindness ” began in 1996 with the passage of Prop .
209 .
Data from the Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 percentage points on Wednesday .
This one left many observers a bit perplexed .
“ Exit polls say racism in America is one of the most important , or the most important , problem , ” said UCR ’ s Ramakrishnan .
“ So then , why didn ’ t they support Prop .
16 ?
” There are actually many different reasons , including splits in the Latino and Asian communities and general voter confusion about what it would do .
“ There just wasn ’ t enough time for there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue , ” and it was competing for attention on a very full ballot , Ramakrishnan said .
But he expects the issue to be resurrected , and soon .
“ It has been nearly 25 years since affirmative action was available in California , and so I see this as an important first step in restarting the conversation about racial equity beyond criminal justice reform .
We haven ’ t yet had deep conversations in California about the inequities around wealth-building , employment opportunity , educational opportunity – I ’ d expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing for greater awareness and education on the importance of thinking beyond the criminal justice system.
” Prop .
20 flew firmly in the face of the zeitgeist of the times , toughening criminal sentencing options .
It would have allowed offenses now classified as misdemeanors – specific types of theft and fraud , such as unlawful use of a credit card and vehicle theft – to be bumped up to felonies .
It also would have added serial crime and organized retail crime to the books , allowing them to be charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some convicts submit DNA to state and federal databases .
It was losing with less than 38 percent of the vote .
Prop .
25 would have affirmed California ’ s place as the first state to end the use of cash bail for all detained suspects awaiting trials .
The original legislation was described as a “ transformational shift away from valuing private wealth and toward protecting public safety.
” Instead of cash bail – meant to give people an incentive to show up in court after they ’ re released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether people should get pre-trial release and under what conditions .
They ’ d be categorized as low , medium or high risk , and those with a low risk of skipping out could be released ; those with a high risk would stay in jail ; and those with medium risk could go either way , depending on the court ’ s rules .
It was losing with less than 45 percent of the vote .
“ I think what you ’ re seeing in cash bail is an exception to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduces racial inequality , ” said Ramakrishnan .
Levin agreed .
“ The outlier may have been Prop .
25 which confused voters about bail assessments , as well as the split among some progressives , ” he said .
The harbinger of things to come may be Los Angeles County ’ s Measure J , which harnessed public outrage over police brutality and the conviction that there must be a better way .
It would require that no less than 10 % of the massive county ’ s general fund – hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on prevention , community programs and alternatives to incarceration .
It was passing with 57 percent of the vote .
“ Measure J is the only ballot measure of its kind across the nation , and we ’ re really happy that voters were in agreement that we need to make sure the priorities of our communities of color are brought to the forefront , ” said Yes on J spokesman Scott Mann .
In a statement on Wednesday , Isaac Bryan , co-chair of Yes on Measure J , called it “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in L.A. County but across the country.
” “ For decades we have fought to change hearts , minds , and policy .
Finally , our communities will have the resources to bring our freedom dreams to life .
Finally , our communities will have the foundational investments in care and healing that they have long deserved .
Finally , we will begin to question how much money we spend on incarceration and punishment when we could be funding opportunity .
Today is historic .
Today is beautiful .
This is what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the type of transformative policy-making we have been calling for , ” he said .
UCLA ’ s Virani said Measure J attempts to redress inequities by shifting budget , and thus policy , priorities towards prevention and redistribution of resources .
“ It is unfortunate that the state did not follow suit in this regard , ” she said .
Others suspect it won ’ t be long until it does .
Prop .
17 , would restore parolees ’ right to vote .
California was one of only three states that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parole sentences before regaining the right to cast a ballot .
It didn ’ t attract a lot of money or incite a lot of passion , and is winning by some 18 points .
The race for Los Angeles County District Attorney was a head-turner : Former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón , a White man , taking on incumbent L.A. District Attorney Jackie Lacey , a Black woman , for the chief prosecutor ’ s job .
Gascón blasted Lacey for going too easy on police officers who shot and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reforms .
He ’ s currently leading with more than 53 percent of the vote .
“ Overall , the results of the state ballot initiatives and L.A. district attorney race demonstrate that those who so effectively organized protests had the perseverance to follow through at the polls – showing once and for all the historic transformational political reverberations of the Black Lives Matter movement , ” said Levin of CSU San Bernardino .

Why should suspects with money be able to leave jail while the gears of justice grind, while those without money are stuck behind bars?
Should skin color, sex and ethnicity be factors in public college admissions, and who gets public jobs and contracts?
Why should criminals who’ve been given probation instead of jail time be allowed to vote, while parolees – who did prison time and are finishing their sentences on the outside – are forbidden from voting?
California voters wrestled with ballots chock full of complicated social justice issues on Nov. 3, amid unprecedented racial reckoning and heightened awareness of historical wrongs. While election results are not yet final, voters appear to have delivered a very mixed bag of decisions:
No on considering skin color in public decision-making. No on eliminating cash bail. No on tougher criminal sentencing. Yes on allowing parolees to vote. Yes on redirecting money to social services. Yes to the Los Angeles County District Attorney candidate who promises major reform.
“The criminal justice measures that passed in California, along with George Gascon’s projected win (in the L.A. D.A.’s race), are incredibly good news and aligned with the general trend in California over the past years to support criminal justice reform,” said Alicia Virani, associate director of the Criminal Justice Program at the UCLA School of Law, who was once a deputy in the Orange County Public Defender’s Office.
Brian Levin, professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Cal State San Bernardino, would agree.
“Voters were particularly concerned with redirecting the focus of the criminal justice system towards a less punitive approach, as increasing concern about institutional racial disparities are an overlay to any such any debate,” he said.
Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside and founding director of the Center for Social Innovation, said there might not have been a clear verdict, “but I think what you see is that Californians are supportive of advancing social justice. They see racism as a significant problem. But when it comes to particular solutions, if they have a problem with some component of an initiative, they just vote it down,” he said.
But there’s always a but.
“Some of the outcomes or projected outcomes on other ballot measures … are unfortunately a dismal reflection on where the state is at when it comes to social justice,” said UCLA’s Virani. “While criminal justice reform and transformation is needed, we also need a state that will think comprehensively about the structural issues that allow for the criminal justice system to target poor communities and communities of color throughout the state.”
Money, of course, played a tremendous role in this year’s proposition battles, with a record-breaking $785 million pouring in to support and oppose statewide ballot races. “One consistent message,” said Ramakrishnan, “is that money can make a big difference.”
Here’s a rundown.
Affirmative action
Proposition 16 would have overturned California’s present ban on considering race, ethnicity, sex and national origin in public decision-making. That official “color-blindness” began in 1996 with the passage of Prop. 209. Data from the Secretary of State had it losing by more than 10 percentage points on Wednesday.
Money: $19.9 million in support; $1.2 million in opposition.
This one left many observers a bit perplexed. “Exit polls say racism in America is one of the most important, or the most important, problem,” said UCR’s Ramakrishnan. “So then, why didn’t they support Prop. 16?”
There are actually many different reasons, including splits in the Latino and Asian communities and general voter confusion about what it would do. “There just wasn’t enough time for there to be more voter education on this issue,” and it was competing for attention on a very full ballot, Ramakrishnan said. But he expects the issue to be resurrected, and soon.
“It has been nearly 25 years since affirmative action was available in California, and so I see this as an important first step in restarting the conversation about racial equity beyond criminal justice reform. We haven’t yet had deep conversations in California about the inequities around wealth-building, employment opportunity, educational opportunity – I’d expect proponents of racial justice issues to continue pushing for greater awareness and education on the importance of thinking beyond the criminal justice system.”
Criminal crackdown
Prop. 20 flew firmly in the face of the zeitgeist of the times, toughening criminal sentencing options. It would have allowed offenses now classified as misdemeanors – specific types of theft and fraud, such as unlawful use of a credit card and vehicle theft – to be bumped up to felonies. It also would have added serial crime and organized retail crime to the books, allowing them to be charged as felonies; and would have required that some convicts submit DNA to state and federal databases. It was losing with less than 38 percent of the vote.
Money: $4.8 million in support; $20.5 million in opposition
Cash bail
Prop. 25 would have affirmed California’s place as the first state to end the use of cash bail for all detained suspects awaiting trials. The original legislation was described as a “transformational shift away from valuing private wealth and toward protecting public safety.”
Instead of cash bail – meant to give people an incentive to show up in court after they’re released from jail – risk assessments would determine whether people should get pre-trial release and under what conditions. They’d be categorized as low, medium or high risk, and those with a low risk of skipping out could be released; those with a high risk would stay in jail; and those with medium risk could go either way, depending on the court’s rules. It was losing with less than 45 percent of the vote.
Money: $13.4 million in support; $10.2 million in opposition.
“I think what you’re seeing in cash bail is an exception to a more general trend that favors reform that reduces racial inequality,” said Ramakrishnan.
Levin agreed. “The outlier may have been Prop. 25 which confused voters about bail assessments, as well as the split among some progressives,” he said.
Funding for services, not policing
The harbinger of things to come may be Los Angeles County’s Measure J, which harnessed public outrage over police brutality and the conviction that there must be a better way. It would require that no less than 10% of the massive county’s general fund – hundreds of millions of dollars – be spent on prevention, community programs and alternatives to incarceration. It was passing with 57 percent of the vote.
“Measure J is the only ballot measure of its kind across the nation, and we’re really happy that voters were in agreement that we need to make sure the priorities of our communities of color are brought to the forefront,” said Yes on J spokesman Scott Mann.
In a statement on Wednesday, Isaac Bryan, co-chair of Yes on Measure J, called it “the tipping point for justice not only in L.A. County but across the country.”
“For decades we have fought to change hearts, minds, and policy. Finally, our communities will have the resources to bring our freedom dreams to life. Finally, our communities will have the foundational investments in care and healing that they have long deserved. Finally, we will begin to question how much money we spend on incarceration and punishment when we could be funding opportunity. Today is historic. Today is beautiful. This is what we marched for this year. This is the type of transformative policy-making we have been calling for,” he said.
UCLA’s Virani said Measure J attempts to redress inequities by shifting budget, and thus policy, priorities towards prevention and redistribution of resources. “It is unfortunate that the state did not follow suit in this regard,” she said.
Others suspect it won’t be long until it does.
Money: $3.3 million in support; $3.5 million in opposition.
Parolee voting rights
Prop. 17, would restore parolees’ right to vote. California was one of only three states that required people to finish both prison and parole sentences before regaining the right to cast a ballot. It didn’t attract a lot of money or incite a lot of passion, and is winning by some 18 points.
Money: $1.4 million, total.
White reformer v. Black prosecutor
The race for Los Angeles County District Attorney was a head-turner: Former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, a White man, taking on incumbent L.A. District Attorney Jackie Lacey, a Black woman, for the chief prosecutor’s job. Gascón blasted Lacey for going too easy on police officers who shot and killed people, and promised a raft of reforms. He’s currently leading with more than 53 percent of the vote.
Money: More than $19 million
“Overall, the results of the state ballot initiatives and L.A. district attorney race demonstrate that those who so effectively organized protests had the perseverance to follow through at the polls – showing once and for all the historic transformational political reverberations of the Black Lives Matter movement,” said Levin of CSU San Bernardino.


mercurynews--2020-11-05--Coronavirus map: Here’s which tier each California county in on as of Nov. 4

Three of California ’ s 58 counties changed tiers on Wednesday , Nov. 4 , according to the weekly update to the state ’ s four-tier coronavirus tracking system .
There are now nine counties categorized in the least restrictive yellow tier .
One county , Plumas , backslide out of the yellow tier to orange .
Shasta County also lost ground , returning to the most restrictive purple tier from the red tier .
Colusa County progressed from the red tier to orange .
Counties are assigned to a tier based on metrics showing the speed and the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and each week – typically on Tuesdays –the state updates their status .
The state moved its update to Wednesday this week because Election Day was Tuesday .
At a minimum , counties have to remain in a tier for three weeks before they can progress on , and they have to meet the next tier ’ s criteria for at least two consecutive weeks before making a move .
They can also backtrack if their performance on the metrics reverses course .
A list of what businesses are impacted by each tier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state recently added a new metric called health equity .
For a county with a population of greater than 106,000 , the county must : Ensure that the test positivity rates in its most disadvantaged neighborhoods – the Healthy Places Index census tracts are used for that – do not significantly lag behind its overall county test positivity rate .
There are additional conditions listed on the state ’ s site .
Here is the current metrics for each county , where they are now and where they were last week .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most restrictive , especially for education .
Schools in the Widespread ( purple ) tier aren ’ t permitted to reopen for in-person instruction unless they receive a waiver from local health departments for TK-6 grades .
Schools can reopen for in-person instruction once their county has been in the red tier for at least two weeks .

Three of California’s 58 counties changed tiers on Wednesday, Nov. 4, according to the weekly update to the state’s four-tier coronavirus tracking system.
There are now nine counties categorized in the least restrictive yellow tier.
One county, Plumas, backslid out of the yellow tier to orange. Shasta County also lost ground, returning to the most restrictive purple tier from the red tier.
Colusa County progressed from the red tier to orange.
Counties are assigned to a tier based on metrics showing the speed and the spread of the virus in their borders, and each week – typically on Tuesdays –the state updates their status. The state moved its update to Wednesday this week because Election Day was Tuesday.
At a minimum, counties have to remain in a tier for three weeks before they can progress on, and they have to meet the next tier’s criteria for at least two consecutive weeks before making a move.
They can also backtrack if their performance on the metrics reverses course.
A list of what businesses are impacted by each tier is included below.
Note: The state recently added a new metric called health equity. For a county with a population of greater than 106,000, the county must: Ensure that the test positivity rates in its most disadvantaged neighborhoods – the Healthy Places Index census tracts are used for that – do not significantly lag behind its overall county test positivity rate. There are additional conditions listed on the state’s site.
Here is the current metrics for each county, where they are now and where they were last week.
State metrics:
How different are the tiers?
Purple is the most restrictive, especially for education. Schools in the Widespread (purple) tier aren’t permitted to reopen for in-person instruction unless they receive a waiver from local health departments for TK-6 grades. Schools can reopen for in-person instruction once their county has been in the red tier for at least two weeks.
Source: California Department of Finance


mercurynews--2020-11-05--Sponsored: Renovated San Jose home near the Rose Garden features vintage flair, chef’s kitchen, 3 be

Sponsored: Renovated San Jose home near the Rose Garden features vintage flair, chef’s kitchen, 3 bedrooms and a detached studio

A stylish renovation balancing vintage charm and fresh contemporary features elevates this home to new heights in a popular San Jose neighborhood .
Centrally located along a tree-lined street and within a mile of the historic 5-and-a-half-acre Rose Garden , this home at 185 N. Buena Vista Ave. showcases sophisticated finishes throughout its almost 1,050 square feet of living space .
It includes a chef ’ s kitchen , two bedrooms , and two-and-a-half bathrooms , including a private upper-level bedroom suite .
Work and learn from home in the fabulous flexible space located in a detached studio/third bedroom with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water heater .
Additionally , the finished two-car garage , more flexible space , is currently used as a home gym/yoga studio and playroom .
Sensational outdoor space on the generous 4,200-square-foot property begins at its inviting front-yard garden and Saltillo tile entry that enhances the classic Mediterranean-style home decorated in sun-kissed hues .
The backyard offers additional room to spread out , entertain and play in the freshly landscaped yard that includes a spacious patio , and a romantic pergola ideal for al fresco dining .
Decorative mahogany wood gates and inlaid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s attention to detail .
In move-in-ready condition , the home features solid mahogany front and interior doors with decorative trim and oil rubbed bronze hardware .
There are wide planked , hand-milled cut wood floors and dual-pane fiberglass trimmed windows .
The walls have a smooth texture with bullnose corners .
The living room has front- and side-facing windows and is open to the sleek chef ’ s kitchen appointed with leathered granite counters with a subway tile backsplash , and an oversize island/breakfast bar built with the same hand-milled cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bronze knobs and pulls .
Appliances include a Thermador four-burner range and dishwasher and a KitchenAid counter-depth refrigerator .
A pantry is nearby , and a laundry closet has a stacked Electrolux washer and dryer and utility sink .
Two bedrooms include a main-level bedroom suite with a front-facing window , a walk-in closet with built-ins , and a bathroom with a porcelain tile floor and a subway tile shower surround with decorative shampoo niches and glass doors .
Carrara marble tops the single-sink vintage wood vanity .
Additional features include an insulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central air conditioning .
There is also a paver driveway and expansive side yard .
The living room is wired for a ceiling fan .
The powder room also has a Saltillo tile floor and a single-sink vintage-inspired vanity with a Carrara marble counter .
The centrally located and desirable San Jose neighborhood is conveniently close to downtown San Jose , SAP Stadium , and the fabulous shops and restaurants at Valley Fair and Santana Row .
It is also in a tech haven , a short commute to top Silicon Valley employers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.3 mile ) walk to the planned Google Downtown West campus , which awaits final approval .
Buena Vista Avenue is also within easy access to freeways and The Alameda .
Price : $ 1,150,000 Where : 185 N. Buena Vista Ave. , San Jose Website : www.185BuenaVista.com Easy to show by appointment after PEAD form sent to the listing agent .
Listing agent : Intero , James Shin , DRE # 01358693 , 650-862-7332 , James @ jsregroupllc.com www.allaboutsiliconvalley.com WWW.MEETINGWITH JAMES.COM .

A stylish renovation balancing vintage charm and fresh contemporary features elevates this home to new heights in a popular San Jose neighborhood.
Centrally located along a tree-lined street and within a mile of the historic 5-and-a-half-acre Rose Garden, this home at 185 N. Buena Vista Ave. showcases sophisticated finishes throughout its almost 1,050 square feet of living space. It includes a chef’s kitchen, two bedrooms, and two-and-a-half bathrooms, including a private upper-level bedroom suite.
Work and learn from home in the fabulous flexible space located in a detached studio/third bedroom with a full bathroom and its own tankless water heater. Additionally, the finished two-car garage, more flexible space, is currently used as a home gym/yoga studio and playroom.
Sensational outdoor space on the generous 4,200-square-foot property begins at its inviting front-yard garden and Saltillo tile entry that enhances the classic Mediterranean-style home decorated in sun-kissed hues. The backyard offers additional room to spread out, entertain and play in the freshly landscaped yard that includes a spacious patio, and a romantic pergola ideal for al fresco dining. Decorative mahogany wood gates and inlaid vintage tiles are indicative of the renovation’s attention to detail.
In move-in-ready condition, the home features solid mahogany front and interior doors with decorative trim and oil rubbed bronze hardware.
There are wide planked, hand-milled cut wood floors and dual-pane fiberglass trimmed windows. The walls have a smooth texture with bullnose corners.
The living room has front- and side-facing windows and is open to the sleek chef’s kitchen appointed with leathered granite counters with a subway tile backsplash, and an oversize island/breakfast bar built with the same hand-milled cut wood planks.
The cabinetry has decorative bronze knobs and pulls.
Appliances include a Thermador four-burner range and dishwasher and a KitchenAid counter-depth refrigerator. A pantry is nearby, and a laundry closet has a stacked Electrolux washer and dryer and utility sink.
Two bedrooms include a main-level bedroom suite with a front-facing window, a walk-in closet with built-ins, and a bathroom with a porcelain tile floor and a subway tile shower surround with decorative shampoo niches and glass doors. Carrara marble tops the single-sink vintage wood vanity.
Additional features include an insulated garage door, a tankless water and central air conditioning. There is also a paver driveway and expansive side yard. The living room is wired for a ceiling fan.
The powder room also has a Saltillo tile floor and a single-sink vintage-inspired vanity with a Carrara marble counter.
The centrally located and desirable San Jose neighborhood is conveniently close to downtown San Jose, SAP Stadium, and the fabulous shops and restaurants at Valley Fair and Santana Row. It is also in a tech haven, a short commute to top Silicon Valley employers, including just over 1 mile (1.3 mile) walk to the planned Google Downtown West campus, which awaits final approval.
Buena Vista Avenue is also within easy access to freeways and The Alameda.
Price: $1,150,000
Where: 185 N. Buena Vista Ave., San Jose
Website: www.185BuenaVista.com
Easy to show by appointment after PEAD form sent to the listing agent.
Listing agent: Intero, James Shin, DRE#01358693, 650-862-7332, James@jsregroupllc.com www.allaboutsiliconvalley.com WWW.MEETINGWITH JAMES.COM.