mercurynews--2020-05-12--Los Altos: Suspect arrested in city’s first homicide in 25 years

LOS ALTOS – Authorities on Monday announced an arrest in the shooting death of a 48-year-old Union City man at a Los Altos residence last week , the city ’ s first homicide in more than 25 years .
Edgar Lainez-Portillo , 25 , of Redwood City , was arrested Friday and booked into Santa Clara County jail , where he is being held without bail , Los Altos police said in a news release .
“ Thankfully , there have been few homicides in Los Altos in its history and it is with a sense of pride and purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week after this tragedy , ” said Los Altos police Chief Andy Galea .
Police did not provide additional details about the case , stating in the news release that “ our staff is busy conducting necessary follow-up , and we will not be conducting any interviews at this time.
” Police instead directed questions toward the Santa Clara County District Attorney ’ s Office , which said the case is under review .
Just before 11 a.m. on May 4 , officers were called to the backyard of a home on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report of a shooting .
They arrived to find the victim , Roberto Rivera , suffering from at least one gunshot wound .
Rivera , who had been hired to do masonry work at the home , was pronounced dead about 20 minutes later .
The death marked the first recorded homicide in the city since 1994 , according to police .
“ We would like to offer our sympathy to the family and friends of Mr. Rivera , ” Galea said .
“ If there is any assistance that we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ please know we will be there to support you.
” Galea called the investigation a “ true team effort , ” which involved the Santa Clara District Attorney ’ s Office , Mountain View Police Department , Palo Alto Police Department , Santa Clara County Sheriff ’ s Office and San Mateo County Sheriff ’ s Office .
Mothers Against Murder , a Los Altos-based nonprofit organization , also offered a $ 10,000 reward for information leading to the arrested and conviction of a suspect in the shooting .
Anyone with information about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Detective Sgt .
Cameron Shearer at 650-947-2770 , or the department ’ s anonymous tip line at 650-947-2774 .
Tips can also be submitted at svcrimestoppers.org or via the P3TIPS mobile app .

LOS ALTOS – Authorities on Monday announced an arrest in the shooting death of a 48-year-old Union City man at a Los Altos residence last week, the city’s first homicide in more than 25 years.
Edgar Lainez-Portillo, 25, of Redwood City, was arrested Saturday and booked into Santa Clara County jail, where he is being held without bail, Los Altos police said in a news release.
“Thankfully, there have been few homicides in Los Altos in its history and it is with a sense of pride and purpose that we announce this arrest less than a week after this tragedy,” said Los Altos police Chief Andy Galea.
Police did not provide additional details about the case, stating in the news release that “our staff is busy conducting necessary follow-up, and we will not be conducting any interviews at this time.” Police instead directed questions toward the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, which said the case is under review.
Just before 11 a.m. May 4, officers were called to the backyard of a home on the 1000 block of Highlands Circle for a report of a shooting. They arrived to find the victim, Roberto Rivera, suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Rivera, who had been hired to do masonry work at the home, was pronounced dead about 20 minutes later.
The death marked the first recorded homicide in the city since 1994, according to police.
“We would like to offer our sympathy to the family and friends of Mr. Rivera,” Galea said. “If there is any assistance that we can provide in the difficult days ahead, please know we will be there to support you.”
Galea called the investigation a “true team effort,” which involved the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office, Mountain View Police Department, Palo Alto Police Department, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
Mothers Against Murder, a Los Altos-based nonprofit organization, also offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrested and conviction of a suspect in the shooting.
Anyone with information about the case can contact Los Altos police Detective Sgt. Cameron Shearer at 650-947-2770, or the department’s anonymous tip line at 650-947-2774. Tips can also be submitted at svcrimestoppers.org or via the P3TIPS mobile app.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Livermore group withdraws contentious November initiative for downtown plan

LIVERMORE —After years of push back on the city ’ s downtown plan , a local group has withdrawn an initiative that would have questioned voters on the blueprint for the downtown .
In a public release on Saturday , Citizens for a Livermore Central Park announced that in an effort in “ finding common ground and bringing the community together ” they will withdraw the November initiative .
They ’ ve also agreed not to sue the city .
“ It ’ s to everyones benefit that the central park group is ending their divisive and expensive campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Personally , I look forward to working with them as we unite Livermore and work together to implement the community ’ s vision for the downtown.
” The group , made up of local residents , has been trying to reverse the council ’ s decision to build a hotel on the east side of downtown on a site that they would rather see set aside for a parking garage .
The topic of the hotel has been one of the major debated parts of Livermore ’ s downtown plan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s blueprint for the area ’ s future .
In fact , the topic has raised so much contention that the committee gathered enough signatures to place the topic before the voters .
In March , Measure P asked voters if they wanted to uphold the council ’ s agreement with the hotel developer , Presidio , to build a hotel on the east side of town .
An overwhelming majority , 66 % voted “ yes ” – agreeing to keep the city ’ s plan as is .
The March election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters could vote in November on a similar topic .
In the November initiative , voters would have been asked to revisit the city ’ s downtown plan to allow zoning changes that would have allowed the parking garage near the Bankhead Theater .
The divisiveness in the city has been palpable , with things getting so heated in council meetings and in the community in general in the last year over the downtown plan topic .
Vice Mayor Bob Woerner in January called out the group during one council meeting , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” when they couldn ’ t produce another hotel developer , despite claims they could .
In the same meeting , another councilman told them to “ shut up ” on the same topic .
During the election , a stink bomb was thrown during one Yes on P fundraiser , and vandalism was accused on both sides .
“ I ’ m glad that it ’ s over , ” Woerner said Monday .
“ We got the pandemic to worry about .
Having this over will help us , the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious recovery that we have to go through.
” In Saturday ’ s announcement , Bill Dunlop , chair of the Citizens committee , said that the group reached a point of progress where they can now support such plans , including a hotel on the east side of Livermore Avenue .
He said they had been meeting with city leaders for months now in discussions to discuss the plan .
Dunlop said they ’ ll also support a hotel that is four stories tall –another point of contention .
In 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the council ’ s decision for a four-story hotel ; council eventually agreed to lower the height to three stories , avoiding placing the topic on the ballot .
They also agreed to support Stockman ’ s Park and the surrounding development between Livermore Avenue and K Street , and the location of Veterans Way , with parking south of it .
The group also asked city leaders to consider the following : a paid parking facility off Livermore Avenue funded by private investors ; relocating some or all of the affordable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another location such as on Railroad Avenue between L Street and Livermore Ave ; and having the hotel be A “ Marriott Autograph ” brand to attract people to the region .
The hotel type has been previously identified as a Marriott brand .
City Attorney Jason Alcala said Monday that the city needs an official letter from the group , withdrawing the initiative .
As of Monday afternoon , that had not yet been sent to the city .
Similarly , the city clerk had filed a lawsuit challenging some word choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the initiative , that could mislead voters .
Alcala said that is currently pending in the courts , but the lawsuit would be moot if the initiative was officially withdrawn .

LIVERMORE —After years of fighting over what downtown Livermore should look like in the future, a grassroots group is ending its opposition to the City Council’s plan.
Citizens for a Livermore Central Park announced that in an effort “finding common ground and bringing the community together,” they will withdraw the initiative from the November ballot. They also have agreed to not sue the city.
“It’s to everyone’s benefit that the central park group is ending their divisive and expensive campaign,” said Mayor John Marchand on Monday. “Personally, I look forward to working with them as we unite Livermore and work together to implement the community’s vision for the downtown.”
The group, made up of local residents, has been trying to reverse the council’s decision to build a hotel on the east side of downtown near the Bankhead Theater, where they instead wanted a parking garage. The topic of the hotel has been one of the major debated parts of Livermore’s downtown plan, which will serve as the city’s blueprint for the area’s future.
In fact, the downtown issue has been so contentious that the committee gathered enough signatures to place the topic before the voters. In March, Measure P asked voters if they wanted to uphold the council’s agreement with the hotel developer, Presidio, to build a hotel on the east side of town. The committee opposed the agreement. However, an overwhelming majority, 66%. voted “yes,” agreeing to keep the city’s plan with the hotel as is.
The No on Measure P campaign, or Protect the Central Park Vote, spent $271,854 according to the latest campaign finance forms from February. The Citizens for a Livermore Central Park, which was formed for the November initiative, raised at least $259,585, according to the latest form filed in December 2019. The two committees are closely aligned.
The March election loss was likely an early indication of how residents would vote in November on a similar topic. Voters would have been asked to approve zoning changes to allow a parking garage near the Bankhead Theater.
The divisiveness in the city has been palpable, with things getting heated in the past year at some council meetings and in the community over the plan. Vice Mayor Bob Woerner in January called out the group during one council meeting, saying they were full of “hot air” when they couldn’t produce another hotel developer, despite claims they had talked with ones interested in building on an alternative site on the west side of town. In the same meeting, another councilman told them to “shut up” on the same topic. During the election, a stink bomb was thrown during one Yes on P fundraiser, and both sides reported vandalism during the campaign.
“I’m glad that it’s over,” Woerner said Monday. “We’ve got the pandemic to worry about. Having this over will help us, the community, come together and go through the serious recovery that we have to go through.”
In Saturday’s announcement, Bill Dunlop, chairman of the Citizens committee, said that the group has reached a point of progress where they can now support such plans. He said his group had been meeting with city officials for months to discuss and “bridge the differences” in the plans for downtown.
Dunlop said the group also now will support a hotel that is four stories tall — another point of contention. In 2018, some residents gathered enough signatures for a referendum on the council allowing a four-story hotel; the council eventually agreed to lower the height to three stories to avoid placing the topic on the ballot.
Citizens for a Livermore Central Park also have agreed to support Stockmen’s Park and the surrounding development between Livermore Avenue and K Street. The group had previously opposed the location of the park.
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Foul act: Stink bomb flung into political fundraiser in East Bay Politics | Big donations pour into East Bay city’s local campaigns The group has asked city officials to consider the following: allowing a paid parking facility off Livermore Avenue funded by private investors; relocating some or all of the affordable housing approved for downtown to another location, such as Railroad Avenue between L Street and Livermore Avenue; and having the hotel be a “Marriott Autograph,” a higher-end brand, to attract people to the region. The hotel type has been previously identified as a Marriott brand.
City Attorney Jason Alcala said Monday that the city needs an official letter from the group, withdrawing the initiative. As of Monday afternoon, that had not yet been sent to the city. Similarly, the city clerk had filed a lawsuit challenging some word choice Citizens for a Livermore Central Park used in the ballot argument for the initiative; the city contends the wording could mislead voters. Alcala said the lawsuit is currently pending in the courts, but it would be moot if the initiative was officially withdrawn.


mercurynews--2020-05-11--Biden, Democrats report raising $60.5 million in April

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said on Monday his campaign and the party raised $ 60.5 million combined in April , a figure that could help the campaign compete with better-funded Republican adversaries .
The fundraising figure follows a record total in March of $ 46.7 million for the campaign , more than three times the money that Republican President Donald Trump managed that month , despite the coronavirus health crisis , which has disrupted fundraising for U.S. politicians .
“ The trust you all have put in me as your presumptive nominee is humbling , ” Biden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The average online donation was “ only $ 32.63 , ” Biden said , adding that contributors had made sacrifices despite the economic uncertainty wreaked by the pandemic .
Both candidates and their allies are starting to ramp up paid advertising campaigns in battleground states ahead of the Nov. 3 general election .
Still , Biden has been playing catch-up to Trump , who has been amassing an election war chest since 2017 , according to disclosures filed by the two campaigns to the Federal Election Commission .
Biden became the Democrats ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his last remaining rival , Senator Bernie Sanders , dropped out of the race , making it the first month in which Biden was not competing in fundraising with a challenger from the same party .
His campaign struggled early to raise funds , but now hopes the party ’ s united front will help him build his coffers , as Sanders and other former rivals have endorsed him , and several are helping him with fundraising .
The U.S. economy lost a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April , the steepest plunge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the economic havoc caused by nationwide shutdowns to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
Fundraising events have largely moved online as the virus has upended American life , forcing millions of people to stay in their homes and leading presidential campaigns to cancel public events and fundraising dinners .
Biden , a classic retail politician whose social media following pales in comparison with Trump ’ s , has expressed frustration with the limitations of communicating with voters remotely .
But the freeze on in-person campaigning during the pandemic has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , giving him more time to court donors and shielding him from on-the-trail gaffes .

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Michael Martina | Reuters
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said on Monday his campaign and the party raised $60.5 million combined in April, a figure that could help the campaign compete with better-funded Republican adversaries.
The fundraising figure follows a record total in March of $46.7 million for the campaign, more than three times the money that Republican President Donald Trump managed that month, despite the coronavirus health crisis, which has disrupted fundraising for U.S. politicians.
“The trust you all have put in me as your presumptive nominee is humbling,” Biden said in a statement emailed to supporters.
The average online donation was “only $32.63,” Biden said, adding that contributors had made sacrifices despite the economic uncertainty wreaked by the pandemic.
Both candidates and their allies are starting to ramp up paid advertising campaigns in battleground states ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.
Still, Biden has been playing catch-up to Trump, who has been amassing an election war chest since 2017, according to disclosures filed by the two campaigns to the Federal Election Commission.
Biden became the Democrats’ de facto nominee in early April after his last remaining rival, Senator Bernie Sanders, dropped out of the race, making it the first month in which Biden was not competing in fundraising with a challenger from the same party.
His campaign struggled early to raise funds, but now hopes the party’s united front will help him build his coffers, as Sanders and other former rivals have endorsed him, and several are helping him with fundraising.
The U.S. economy lost a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April, the steepest plunge in payrolls since the Great Depression, due to the economic havoc caused by nationwide shutdowns to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Fundraising events have largely moved online as the virus has upended American life, forcing millions of people to stay in their homes and leading presidential campaigns to cancel public events and fundraising dinners.
Biden, a classic retail politician whose social media following pales in comparison with Trump’s, has expressed frustration with the limitations of communicating with voters remotely.
But the freeze on in-person campaigning during the pandemic has had an upside for the former vice president, giving him more time to court donors and shielding him from on-the-trail gaffes.


mercurynews--2020-05-11--Coronavirus:  Revised Stanford estimate says Santa Clara County had 54 times more cases than we knew

Coronavirus:  Revised Stanford estimate says Santa Clara County had 54 times more cases than we knew about

Stanford University researchers have moderated their controversial estimate of how many people in Santa Clara County were infected by the COVID-19 virus by early April — but stand by their conclusion that the illness was much more widespread than anyone knew .
In a revised analysis of a startling study published last month , they now estimate that 2.8 % of Santa Clara residents were previously infected by the virus but didn ’ t know it .
That implies that the county had up to 54,000 infections — many more than the 1,000 confirmed cases in the county at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large majority of the population does not have antibodies and may be susceptible to the virus , ” concludes the research paper , published in the online report medRxiv .
If true , it means that the large majority of people who contracted COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic have recovered without ever knowing they were infected .
With so many undetected infections , it also means that the death rate is lower than presumed .
The team ’ s initial study was slightly higher , placing the estimate of infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which suggested up to 81,000 infections .
That study , the first of its type in the nation , incited a fierce debate over the paper ’ s methodology , with statisticians taking to Twitter to debate sampling methods and test reliability .
The Stanford researchers tested 3,330 people on April 3 and April 4 at three locations spaced across Santa Clara County — two county parks in Los Gatos and San Jose and a church in Mountain View — to gain a snapshot of how many people in the county already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously sick and didn ’ t realize it they had ever had the virus .
They looked for antibodies to the pathogen , a marker of past infection that suggests it may be safe for them to go back to work and school .
The research revision — there ’ s now a version 1 and version 2 — reflects the reality of scientific publishing in this fast-moving world of COVID-19 research , when “ preprint ’ manuscripts are made public almost immediately , before they have been peer reviewed .
While it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also creates the risk that weak work can be publicized and get overblown in the media .
Critics said the new revision corrects some of the statistical imperfections with new data and analyses .
“ The new report is an improvement on the first version , ” wrote Andrew Gelman , a professor of statistics and political science and director of the Applied Statistics Center at Columbia University .
But there ’ s continued concern about the methodology .
Volunteers for the test were recruited from Facebook — so its sampling was neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whole .
The new paper aims to appease that by offering a more thorough look at all their data .
The major problem with the study related to test specificity .
It used a kit purchased from Premier Biotech , based in Minneapolis with known performance data discrepancies .
Although it was the best test at the time of the study , it had a high “ false positive ” rate that can skew results , critics say — especially with such a small sample size .
To improve results , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the test kit , reducing the false positive rate for the kit to less than 0.5 % .
That explains why the estimate changed — and narrowed down the number of likely infections , said Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya , professor of medicine at Stanford University .
In their revision , the team softened some of the certainty in their conclusions .
But their approach proves the feasibility of such surveys to inform our understanding of the pandemic ’ s progression , estimate of community vulnerability , and monitor infection fatality rates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team said it welcomed the input — “ massive crowdsourcing of helpful comments and constructive feedback ” — that led to the new estimates .
“ More studies are needed to improve precision , ” they wrote .
“ Repeated serologic testing indifferent geographies , spaced a few weeks apart , is needed to evaluate the extent of infection spread over time .
”

Stanford University researchers have moderated their controversial estimate of how many people in Santa Clara County were infected by the COVID-19 virus by early April — but stand by their conclusion that the illness was much more widespread than anyone knew.
In a revised analysis of a startling study published last month, they now estimate that 2.8% of Santa Clara residents were previously infected by the virus but didn’t know it.
That implies that the county had up to 54,000 infections — many more than the 1,000 confirmed cases in the county at the time.
“This suggests that the large majority of the population does not have antibodies and may be susceptible to the virus,” concludes the research paper, published in the online report medRxiv.
If true, it means that the large majority of people who contracted COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic have recovered without ever knowing they were infected. With so many undetected infections, it also means that the death rate is lower than presumed.
The team’s initial study was slightly higher, placing the estimate of infected residents between 2.5% to 4.15%, which suggested up to 81,000 infections.
That study, the first of its type in the nation, incited a fierce debate over the paper’s methodology, with statisticians taking to Twitter to debate sampling methods and test reliability.
The Stanford researchers tested 3,330 people on April 3 and April 4 at three locations spaced across Santa Clara County — two county parks in Los Gatos and San Jose and a church in Mountain View — to gain a snapshot of how many people in the county already had been infected but weren’t seriously sick and didn’t realize it they had ever had the virus. They looked for antibodies to the pathogen, a marker of past infection that suggests it may be safe for them to go back to work and school.
The research revision — there’s now a version 1 and version 2 — reflects the reality of scientific publishing in this fast-moving world of COVID-19 research, when “preprint’ manuscripts are made public almost immediately, before they have been peer reviewed.
While it unshackles scientists from sluggish journals, it also creates the risk that weak work can be publicized and get overblown in the media.
Critics said the new revision corrects some of the statistical imperfections with new data and analyses.
“The new report is an improvement on the first version,” wrote Andrew Gelman, a professor of statistics and political science and director of the Applied Statistics Center at Columbia University.
But there’s continued concern about the methodology. Volunteers for the test were recruited from Facebook — so its sampling was neither random nor representative of the community as a whole. The new paper aims to appease that by offering a more thorough look at all their data.
The major problem with the study related to test specificity. It used a kit purchased from Premier Biotech, based in Minneapolis with known performance data discrepancies. Although it was the best test at the time of the study, it had a high “false positive” rate that can skew results, critics say — especially with such a small sample size.
To improve results, they included about 3,000 “validation samples” for the test kit, reducing the false positive rate for the kit to less than 0.5%.
That explains why the estimate changed — and narrowed down the number of likely infections, said Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, professor of medicine at Stanford University.
In their revision, the team softened some of the certainty in their conclusions. But their approach proves the feasibility of such surveys to inform our understanding of the pandemic’s progression, estimate of community vulnerability, and monitor infection fatality rates in different populations over time.
The Stanford team said it welcomed the input — “massive crowdsourcing of helpful comments and constructive feedback” — that led to the new estimates.
“More studies are needed to improve precision,” they wrote. “Repeated serologic testing indifferent geographies, spaced a few weeks apart, is needed to evaluate the extent of infection spread over time.”
[vemba-video id=”tv/2020/05/01/making-sense-of-emerging-coronavirus-data.cnn”]


mercurynews--2020-05-11--Uber, Lyft would owe California $413 million in unemployment funds if drivers were considered employ

Uber, Lyft would owe California $413 million in unemployment funds if drivers were considered employees: report

As drivers for Uber and Lyft are set to receive jobless benefits because the coronavirus pandemic has thrown so many out of work , a new UC Berkeley report says the two companies would owe California $ 413 million in unemployment insurance contributions if they had treated drivers as employees rather than contractors .
With workers in the so-called “ gig economy ” approved to receive federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance benefits , taxpayers across the country will be covering the cost .
But Uber and Lyft ’ s controversial classification of ride-hailing drivers as contractors means the San Francisco firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment funds , noted the UC Berkeley Labor Center report .
If they had been , they would ’ ve contributed a combined $ 413 million between 2014 and 2019 , the report said .
Lyft disputed the study ’ s findings , saying the research “ ignores basic economics in an effort to achieve a predetermined conclusion that serves a political agenda.
” The Labor Center ’ s advisory board is stacked with labor leaders , Lyft noted .
The company called the researchers ’ assumptions “ wildly off.
” The researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 7,000 , but that conflict ’ s with Lyft ’ s data , which shows 86 % of its drivers in California drive fewer than 20 hours a week , the company said .
Lyft pointed to recent research that found reclassifying Lyft drivers as employees could cut the number of drivers for the platform by more than 300,000 .
Also , the company said , the report ’ s conclusion that 640,000 people drove for the two companies is an over-estimate , because it relies on data about ride-sharing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Lyft and Uber have been battling California over the state ’ s new AB-5 gig-worker law that came into effect Jan. 1 and requires many workers considered contractors by their employers to be reclassified as employees and receive employment benefits and protections .
Each company has put at least $ 30 million toward a ballot measure that would overturn the law , and Uber has sued the state , arguing that AB-5 is unconstitutional .
Last week , the state filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Lyft have been misclassifying drivers as contractors and pushing a financial burden onto taxpayers as their drivers collect unemployment benefits from funds the companies have not paid into .
Dozens of ride-sharing drivers circled Uber ’ s headquarters Monday in a protest organized by advocates for gig workers .
The protesters were demanding that Uber comply with AB-5 , pay into the state ’ s unemployment insurance fund and drop the effort to get rid of AB-5 through a ballot measure .
The UC Berkeley report notes that New Jersey has fined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of drivers and failure to make contributions to state coffers , a penalty the company is challenging .

As drivers for Uber and Lyft are set to receive jobless benefits because the coronavirus pandemic has thrown so many out of work, a new UC Berkeley report says the two companies would owe California $413 million in unemployment insurance contributions if they had treated drivers as employees rather than contractors.
With workers in the so-called “gig economy” approved to receive federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance benefits, taxpayers across the country will be covering the cost.
But Uber and Lyft’s controversial classification of ride-hailing drivers as contractors means the San Francisco firms haven’t been paying into state unemployment funds, noted the UC Berkeley Labor Center report. If they had been, they would’ve contributed a combined $413 million between 2014 and 2019, the report said.
Lyft disputed the study’s findings, saying the research “ignores basic economics in an effort to achieve a predetermined conclusion that serves a political agenda.” The Labor Center’s advisory board is stacked with labor leaders, Lyft noted.
The company called the researchers’ assumptions “wildly off.” The researchers assumed that 26% of drivers earned more than $7,000, but that conflict’s with Lyft’s data, which shows 86% of its drivers in California drive fewer than 20 hours a week, the company said. Lyft pointed to recent research that found reclassifying Lyft drivers as employees could cut the number of drivers for the platform by more than 300,000. Also, the company said, the report’s conclusion that 640,000 people drove for the two companies is an over-estimate, because it relies on data about ride-sharing vehicles, not drivers, Lyft said.
Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The UC Berkeley researchers rejected the bias charge and defended their work. “We carry out high quality research on a broad range of labor and employment issues, said Ken Jacobs, Chair of the Labor Center. “For this study we used data on work time and earnings from Uber’s chief economist and JPMorgan Chase; we validated our results with research on IRS data.”
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Technology | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Lyft and Uber have been battling California over the state’s new AB-5 gig-worker law that came into effect Jan. 1 and requires many workers considered contractors by their employers to be reclassified as employees and receive employment benefits and protections. Each company has put at least $30 million toward a ballot measure that would overturn the law, and Uber has sued the state, arguing that AB-5 is unconstitutional. Last week, the state filed its own suit, arguing that Uber and Lyft have been misclassifying drivers as contractors and pushing a financial burden onto taxpayers as their drivers collect unemployment benefits from funds the companies have not paid into.
Dozens of ride-sharing drivers circled Uber’s headquarters Monday in a protest organized by advocates for gig workers. The protesters were demanding that Uber comply with AB-5, pay into the state’s unemployment insurance fund and drop the effort to get rid of AB-5 through a ballot measure.
The UC Berkeley report notes that New Jersey has fined Uber $650 million over alleged misclassification of drivers and failure to make contributions to state coffers, a penalty the company is challenging.


mercurynews--2020-05-11--Gilroy doughnut shop family loses daughter, but her organs save her father, two others

Monday might have been like any other morning at the Gilroy Donut House , with Hok family members — who have owned this downtown shop for 30 years — greeting their regulars and boxing up apple fritters , buttermilk bars and maple old-fashioneds .
Except that many of those customer orders came with heartfelt messages for the family , whose emotions are roiling with both anguish and gratitude .
Their 29-year-old daughter and sister Kim , who had been on life support since suffering a brain aneurysm in late April , died Thursday .
But her organs were in good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her kidneys was transplanted into her ailing father , Sreng Hok , in an operation at Stanford University ’ s medical center .
Her other kidney and her liver went to two other patients , according to her brother , Bunlong “ Jeffery ” Hok .
“ She can save three people ’ s lives , ” mother Soktea said after emerging from the back of the shop with a tray of freshly made doughnuts .
“ I ’ m happy.
” Kimlang Phoeu , who went by Kim or Kimmie , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s constant companion .
The family immigrated to the United States from Cambodia in 1985 , and Kimmie was born about 6 years later .
Mother and daughter worked together , walked together , watched TV together .
Soktea said she needs to stay busy at this time .
“ If I go home , it reminds me because she ’ s my best friend , ” she said , her body convulsing into sobs .
“ She ’ s my everything.
” The community has rallied to support the family since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by longtime customer Stephanie Upton-Gonzalez .
She wanted customers to know that the 60-year-old Sreng , who has been on dialysis , and Soktea , 55 , who suffers from numbness and weakness after a stroke , were scrambling to keep the business afloat after their daughter ’ s medical emergency .
“ These funds will go to help with their rent , medical bills , or whatever else they need to be able to grieve and not worry so much during this difficult time , ” she wrote .
More than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s steady stream of doughnut buyers included both regulars and new customers who had read newspaper articles about the Hoks or seen the GoFundMe page and wanted to support the family .
Some were just hearing about Saturday ’ s transplant .
“ How is Mr. Hok doing ?
” customer Leticia Luna asked .
“ He was compatible ?
Really ?
Oh , good !
” She added : “ It ’ s sweet-bitter because of the situation with his daughter .
He ’ s such a sweet man.
” Michael Caragio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 years , was a fan of Kim , who always remembered his family ’ s doughnut preferences .
“ I ’ m going to miss her .
She was so awesome.
” Others commented on Jeffery ’ s head , shorn of its long hair .
“ In Cambodia when you ’ re in mourning , you shave your head , ” he said .
“ My father did it when my grandfather died .
I ’ m doing it for my sister.
” His father was feeling well enough for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning I shaved , I Facetimed him , ” Jeffery , 20 , said .
“ He laughed , ” then bowed his head slightly and put his hands together , “ because now I look like a Buddhist monk.
” But the elder Hok won ’ t be able to come back to work for a while .
“ For the first month , he ’ s going to be a little wobbly .
We have to wait for him to walk on his own.
” • Coronavirus : California agents field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in these Bay Area counties Until then , Jeffery said he and his mother are receiving lots of help at the shop from relatives including his aunt Heak Huoch and cousin Sovandy Phoeu , all of whom were so close to his sister .
And friends of his have been stopping by the shop after closing time to help him clean up and fold pink bakery boxes for the next day .
In the middle of the night — about 1 a.m. — Soktea arrives to start making the doughnuts , as she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , Mother ’ s Day included , for years .
“ If you change the baker , you change the doughnut , ” she said .
“ And customer know right away.
” So she plans to keep working , caring for her husband and building a better life for her son .
And honoring her beloved Kimmie .
“ That ’ s why I do good things for people — so she will get a better life in the next life .
That ’ s what I pray.
” Details : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. , Gilroy .
The GoFundMe page can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/gilroy-donut-house-emergency-fund .

Monday might have been like any other morning at the Gilroy Donut House, with Hok family members — who have owned this downtown shop for 30 years — greeting their regulars and boxing up apple fritters, buttermilk bars and maple old-fashioneds.
Except that many of those customer orders came with heartfelt messages for the family, whose emotions are roiling with both anguish and gratitude.
Their 29-year-old daughter and sister Kim, who had been on life support since suffering a brain aneurysm in late April, died Thursday. But her organs were in good shape. On Saturday, one of her kidneys was transplanted into her ailing father, Sreng Hok, in an operation at Stanford University’s medical center.
Her other kidney and her liver went to two other patients, according to her brother, Bunlong “Jeffery” Hok.
“She can save three people’s lives,” mother Soktea said after emerging from the back of the shop with a tray of freshly made doughnuts. “I’m happy.”
Kimlang Phoeu, who went by Kim or Kimmie, was a special needs child and her mother’s constant companion. The family immigrated to the United States from Cambodia in 1985, and Kimmie was born about 6 years later. Mother and daughter worked together, walked together, watched TV together.
Soktea said she needs to stay busy at this time. “If I go home, it reminds me because she’s my best friend,” she said, her body convulsing into sobs. “She’s my everything.”
The community has rallied to support the family since a GoFundMe campaign was launched last week by longtime customer Stephanie Upton-Gonzalez. She wanted customers to know that the 60-year-old Sreng, who has been on dialysis, and Soktea, 55, who suffers from numbness and weakness after a stroke, were scrambling to keep the business afloat after their daughter’s medical emergency.
“These funds will go to help with their rent, medical bills, or whatever else they need to be able to grieve and not worry so much during this difficult time,” she wrote. More than $90,000 has been raised.
Monday’s steady stream of doughnut buyers included both regulars and new customers who had read newspaper articles about the Hoks or seen the GoFundMe page and wanted to support the family. Some were just hearing about Saturday’s transplant.
“How is Mr. Hok doing?” customer Leticia Luna asked. “He was compatible? Really? Oh, good!”
She added: “It’s sweet-bitter because of the situation with his daughter. He’s such a sweet man.”
Michael Caragio, who has been coming here for 20 years, was a fan of Kim, who always remembered his family’s doughnut preferences. “I’m going to miss her. She was so awesome.”
Others commented on Jeffery’s head, shorn of its long hair.
“In Cambodia when you’re in mourning, you shave your head,” he said. “My father did it when my grandfather died. I’m doing it for my sister.”
His father was feeling well enough for a hospital call and unveiling. “The morning I shaved, I Facetimed him,” Jeffery, 20, said. “He laughed,” then bowed his head slightly and put his hands together, “because now I look like a Buddhist monk.”
But the elder Hok won’t be able to come back to work for a while. “For the first month, he’s going to be a little wobbly. We have to wait for him to walk on his own.”
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Montebello Market closes after 15 months in Los Gatos Restaurants, Food and Drink | Semi-permanent parklets under construction in downtown Campbell Until then, Jeffery said he and his mother are receiving lots of help at the shop from relatives including his aunt Heak Huoch and cousin Sovandy Phoeu, all of whom were so close to his sister. And friends of his have been stopping by the shop after closing time to help him clean up and fold pink bakery boxes for the next day.
In the middle of the night — about 1 a.m. — Soktea arrives to start making the doughnuts, as she’s been doing seven days a week, Mother’s Day included, for years.
“If you change the baker, you change the doughnut,” she said. “And customer know right away.”
So she plans to keep working, caring for her husband and building a better life for her son. And honoring her beloved Kimmie.
“That’s why I do good things for people — so she will get a better life in the next life. That’s what I pray.”
Details: The shop is located at 703 First St., Gilroy. The GoFundMe page can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/gilroy-donut-house-emergency-fund.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Bomb squad detonates explosives found near Marin County hiking trail

A bomb squad on Sunday night destroyed what appeared to be explosives found near a hiking trail in Homestead Valley @ @ @ @ @ hiker reported finding two rusty ammunition canisters and detonating cord near Eagle Trail around 4 @ @ @ @ @ Marin County Sheriff ’ s Office .
The trail is located off Laverne Avenue , @ @ @ @ @ Trust open space .
The canisters “ looked like they were pretty old , ” @ @ @ @ @ .
One was open and filled with what appeared to be gun powder and the @ @ @ @ @ “ Everything looked like it had been up there a while , ” Schneider said @ @ @ @ @ office closed trails in the area and called in the University of California , Berkeley @ @ @ @ @ squad , officials said .
Officers detonated the devices around 11 p.m. , causing an @ @ @ @ @ small hole ” in the ground , Schneider said .

A bomb squad on Sunday night destroyed what appeared to be explosives found near a hiking trail in Homestead Valley, authorities said.
A hiker reported finding two rusty ammunition canisters and detonating cord near Eagle Trail around 4 p.m., according to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. The trail is located off Laverne Avenue, in the Homestead Valley Land Trust open space.
The canisters “looked like they were pretty old,” said Sgt. Brenton Schneider. One was open and filled with what appeared to be gun powder and the other was partially buried.
“Everything looked like it had been up there a while,” Schneider said.
The sheriff’s office closed trails in the area and called in the University of California, Berkeley police department’s bomb squad, officials said. Officers detonated the devices around 11 p.m., causing an explosion that left “a small hole” in the ground, Schneider said.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Why stimulus checks won’t be taxed, but unemployment benefits will be

Billions of federal coronavirus relief dollars are flowing directly into Americans ’ pockets , but will they have to send some of that money back to Uncle Sam come tax time ?
The good news : Your stimulus payment is all yours !
The bad news : If you ’ re out of work , you will owe federal — and possibly state and local — taxes on any unemployment benefits you collect , including the temporary $ 600 weekly boost approved by Congress as part of its economic rescue package .
And because unemployment benefits count as income , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food stamps or federal subsides for health insurance policies bought on the Affordable Care Act exchanges .
Neither the stimulus checks nor the extra federal jobless payments , however , will affect your eligibility for Medicaid .
Here are the details : The Internal Revenue Service has sent out nearly 130 million stimulus payments , and more are on the way .
Americans earning up to $ 99,000 a year can receive up payments of up to $ 1,200 , while married couples without children get up to $ 2,400 if they make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families , the threshold depends on how many children they have .
Your income is typically based on your 2018 or 2019 tax return .
This money is tax-free and won ’ t affect any refunds you might be owed , said Howard Gleckman , senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center .
What ’ s more : You won ’ t have to return any funds if you received a payment but wind up earning more than the threshold in 2020 .
And if you didn ’ t qualify based on your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the threshold this year , you ’ ll receive your stimulus payment when you file your 2020 tax return .
Also , stimulus payments will not count as income for government assistance programs , such as Medicaid or food stamps , though the money could be considered part of your assets if you save it for more than 12 months , said Elizabeth Lower-Basch , director of income and work supports for the Center for Law and Social Policy , an advocacy group .
Roughly 1 in 5 American workers have filed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states started shuttering nonessential businesses and mandating that residents stay home .
To help those losing their jobs , Congress hiked weekly payments by $ 600 through the end of July , on top of state benefits , and expanded the unemployment program to more Americans , including the self-employed , independent contractors , gig workers and certain people affected by the coronavirus .
All the federal and state unemployment payments you receive are subject to federal income tax and potentially state and local income taxes , depending on where you live .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10,000 in income if you receive it for the full four months — and that ’ s before you factor in state benefits .
You can opt to withhold taxes from your weekly benefit through your state unemployment agency , pay estimated taxes quarterly or wait until you file your return .
If requested , states typically withhold 10 % for federal taxes and an additional amount to cover their levy , if applicable .
You ’ ll also get a Form 1099-G showing the amount of unemployment compensation you received for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When you decide to pay the taxes owed depends on your financial situation .
Some experts suggest you have the money taken out weekly so you aren ’ t stuck with a big tax bill later , while others say it might be better to get the full benefit now and pay the taxes later when you may have a job and more income .
• Lockdown got you down ?
Ask a submariner , it could be worse • Coronavirus : Revised Stanford estimate says Santa Clara County had 54 times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uber , Lyft would owe California $ 413 million in unemployment funds if drivers were considered employees : report • Coronavirus : Rent payments grew in May , despite job losses When it comes to government assistance , Congress mandated that the extra $ 600 payment will not disqualify you and your family from Medicaid or the Children ’ s Health Insurance Program .
However , the boost could leave you ineligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , as food stamps are formally known , particularly if you have a smaller family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people already receiving food stamps may get bumped out of the program temporarily .
Unemployment compensation also counts as income for the Affordable Care Act ’ s federal subsidies that help lower- and moderate-income people pay their premiums and out-of-pocket costs .

Billions of federal coronavirus relief dollars are flowing directly into Americans’ pockets, but will they have to send some of that money back to Uncle Sam come tax time?
The good news: Your stimulus payment is all yours!
The bad news: If you’re out of work, you will owe federal — and possibly state and local — taxes on any unemployment benefits you collect, including the temporary $600 weekly boost approved by Congress as part of its economic rescue package.
And because unemployment benefits count as income, they may also disqualify you from getting food stamps or federal subsides for health insurance policies bought on the Affordable Care Act exchanges. Neither the stimulus checks nor the extra federal jobless payments, however, will affect your eligibility for Medicaid.
Here are the details:
Stimulus payments are tax free
The Internal Revenue Service has sent out nearly 130 million stimulus payments, and more are on the way.
Americans earning up to $99,000 a year can receive up payments of up to $1,200, while married couples without children get up to $2,400 if they make no more than $198,000. For families, the threshold depends on how many children they have. Your income is typically based on your 2018 or 2019 tax return.
This money is tax-free and won’t affect any refunds you might be owed, said Howard Gleckman, senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center.
What’s more: You won’t have to return any funds if you received a payment but wind up earning more than the threshold in 2020.
And if you didn’t qualify based on your prior earnings but end up making below the threshold this year, you’ll receive your stimulus payment when you file your 2020 tax return.
Also, stimulus payments will not count as income for government assistance programs, such as Medicaid or food stamps, though the money could be considered part of your assets if you save it for more than 12 months, said Elizabeth Lower-Basch, director of income and work supports for the Center for Law and Social Policy, an advocacy group.
Unemployment benefits are subject to tax
Roughly 1 in 5 American workers have filed for initial jobless benefits since mid-March, when states started shuttering nonessential businesses and mandating that residents stay home.
To help those losing their jobs, Congress hiked weekly payments by $600 through the end of July, on top of state benefits, and expanded the unemployment program to more Americans, including the self-employed, independent contractors, gig workers and certain people affected by the coronavirus.
All the federal and state unemployment payments you receive are subject to federal income tax and potentially state and local income taxes, depending on where you live. The extra $600 could provide nearly $10,000 in income if you receive it for the full four months — and that’s before you factor in state benefits.
(Some states, such as Florida, don’t have income taxes, while others, including California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, don’t levy state taxes on unemployment benefits.)
You can opt to withhold taxes from your weekly benefit through your state unemployment agency, pay estimated taxes quarterly or wait until you file your return. If requested, states typically withhold 10% for federal taxes and an additional amount to cover their levy, if applicable.
You’ll also get a Form 1099-G showing the amount of unemployment compensation you received for the year and any income tax withheld.
When you decide to pay the taxes owed depends on your financial situation. Some experts suggest you have the money taken out weekly so you aren’t stuck with a big tax bill later, while others say it might be better to get the full benefit now and pay the taxes later when you may have a job and more income.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Economy | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge When it comes to government assistance, Congress mandated that the extra $600 payment will not disqualify you and your family from Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
However, the boost could leave you ineligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as food stamps are formally known, particularly if you have a smaller family, said Lower-Basch. Also, some people already receiving food stamps may get bumped out of the program temporarily.
Unemployment compensation also counts as income for the Affordable Care Act’s federal subsidies that help lower- and moderate-income people pay their premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Kobe Bryant crash passengers were negligent, court documents allege

The brother of the pilot in the helicopter crash that killed all nine people aboard including NBA legend Kobe Bryant says the passengers had fault and were negligent , according to court papers filed recently .
Attorneys for Berge Zobayan , listed as successor in interest for pilot Ara Zobayan , allege “ any injuries or damages to plaintiffs and/or their decedent was directly caused in full or in part by the negligence or fault of plaintiffs and/or their decedent , ” according to the 7-page document .
The document , an answer to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adds the passengers knew the risks involved .
“ And that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing their purported damages , for which this answering defendant bears no responsibility , ” the response says .
Attorneys for Zobayan shift “ negligence , fault or wrongful conduct of third parties , whom this answering defendant neither controlled nor had the right to control.
” Among other requests , Berge Zobayan ’ s lawyers ask for judgment in his favor and for the lawsuit to be dismissed .
Vanessa Bryant ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same day a memorial service was held for Kobe Bryant and the couple ’ s daughter Gianna .
The complaint held Island Express , the helicopter company , and Ara Zobayan responsible for the crash citing numerous counts of negligence .
Island Express had no comment Monday and a representative for the company previously told CNN it does not comment on ongoing litigation .
Arthur Willner , an attorney for Berge Zobayan , told CNN the man is the pilot ’ s brother and the lawyer had no further comment .
CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Vanessa Bryan were not immediately answered .
The response , filed Friday , also said Berge Zobayan denies every allegation in Vanessa Bryant ’ s lawsuit .
No trial date has been scheduled .
Other lawsuits from families who lost someone in the crash don ’ t list Zobayan as a defendant .
In April , the families of crash victims Christina Mauser , as well as John Altobelli , his wife Keri and their daughter , Alyssa , 14 , filed wrongful death claims against the company that owned and operated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mauser and Altobelli families filed separate complaints for damages claiming Island Express Helicopters was negligent and careless .
The helicopter crashed into hilly terrain in foggy conditions January 26 .
It was transporting passengers to the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks , California , for a youth basketball game when it went down in Calabasas .
The victims also included Payton Chester , 13 , and Sarah Chester , 45 .

The brother of the pilot in the helicopter crash that killed all nine people aboard including NBA legend Kobe Bryant says the passengers had fault and were negligent, according to court papers filed recently.
Attorneys for Berge Zobayan, listed as successor in interest for pilot Ara Zobayan, allege “any injuries or damages to plaintiffs and/or their decedent was directly caused in full or in part by the negligence or fault of plaintiffs and/or their decedent,” according to the 7-page document.
The document, an answer to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, adds the passengers knew the risks involved.
“And that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing their purported damages, for which this answering defendant bears no responsibility,” the response says.
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/05/10/sotu-hassett-full.cnn”]
Attorneys for Zobayan shift “negligence, fault or wrongful conduct of third parties, whom this answering defendant neither controlled nor had the right to control.”
Among other requests, Berge Zobayan’s lawyers ask for judgment in his favor and for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
Vanessa Bryant’s attorney filed her complaint February 24, the same day a memorial service was held for Kobe Bryant and the couple’s daughter Gianna.
The complaint held Island Express, the helicopter company, and Ara Zobayan responsible for the crash citing numerous counts of negligence.
Island Express had no comment Monday and a representative for the company previously told CNN it does not comment on ongoing litigation.
Arthur Willner, an attorney for Berge Zobayan, told CNN the man is the pilot’s brother and the lawyer had no further comment. CNN’s request for comment to representatives for Vanessa Bryan were not immediately answered.
The response, filed Friday, also said Berge Zobayan denies every allegation in Vanessa Bryant’s lawsuit. No trial date has been scheduled.
Other lawsuits from families who lost someone in the crash don’t list Zobayan as a defendant.
In April, the families of crash victims Christina Mauser, as well as John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter, Alyssa, 14, filed wrongful death claims against the company that owned and operated the aircraft.
The lawyer representing both the Mauser and Altobelli families filed separate complaints for damages claiming Island Express Helicopters was negligent and careless.
The helicopter crashed into hilly terrain in foggy conditions January 26. It was transporting passengers to the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, for a youth basketball game when it went down in Calabasas.
The victims also included Payton Chester, 13, and Sarah Chester, 45.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Letter: Woman won’t be duped into getting single-use plastic bags

Even in the COVID-19 crisis , plastic is poison Re : “ Did drop in gas revenue spur reusable bag bans ?
” ( Letter to the editor , Eastbaytimes.com , May 8 ) and “ COVID-19 plastic bag revival relies on industry spin ” ( Opinion section , May 5 ) : I applaud the tactics of letter writer Leslie Pahl , who loads groceries back into her cart instead of being duped into wasting single-use bags .
If your vehicle is , like mine , a bicycle or your feet , it also helps to wear your bags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and transfer your groceries into them once you exit the store .
• Watch live : Streaming in the rain at Oakland ’ s Morcom Rose Garden • Opinion : The next pandemic is lurking in the shadows of COVID-19 As Ivy Shlegel pointed out in her piece “ COVID-19 plastic bag revival relies on industry spin , ” it has been proven that the coronavirus survives longer on plastic than on other materials .
Expanding plastic use is not our savior .
Even in the COVID-19 crisis , it is poison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

Even in the COVID-19
crisis, plastic is poison
Re: “Did drop in gas revenue spur reusable bag bans?” (Letter to the editor, Eastbaytimes.com, May 8) and “COVID-19 plastic bag revival relies on industry spin” (Opinion section, May 5):
I applaud the tactics of letter writer Leslie Pahl, who loads groceries back into her cart instead of being duped into wasting single-use bags. If your vehicle is, like mine, a bicycle or your feet, it also helps to wear your bags or backpacks as another piece of clothing, and transfer your groceries into them once you exit the store.
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Helena Birecki
San Francisco
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
Read more Letters to the Editor


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Live-in nanny thrown out of home by California sheriff’s deputies despite coronavirus eviction ban

Patty Baglien came to the house on Fremont Lane in Yorba Linda last year with five suitcases and high hopes .
A live-in nanny , the 57-year-old grandmother had found a family to care for — three teenagers to send off to school , make their beds and cook their dinner .
Mom was a respected local doctor , dad a respiratory therapist .
And for seven months all went well in that house on Fremont Lane .
He allegedly punched her in the stomach , knocking the wind right out of her and her idyllic life .
Weeks later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and state shutdown orders — Baglien was left jobless and homeless , thrown out of the $ 1.2 million house by two sheriff ’ s deputies despite eviction moratoriums by the governor ’ s office and Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department .
“ I was scared they were going to arrest me and I didn ’ t want those bad marks on my record , ” Baglien said .
Baglien was no longer the beloved “ nanny.
” According to deputies , she was a “ leech ” who had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baglien go from nanny to squatter ?
Her story begins in April 2019 at the TLC Domestic Agency in Irvine .
Baglien was offered two leads by the agency ; one was at the Yorba Linda home of Dr. Nicole Garcia and husband George .
Baglien had a good feeling about that job offer : $ 800 a week plus room-and-board to care for two daughters and a son .
The days were rather long , at 10 hours , but the work was easy and Baglien would be able to send some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse who was shot and left partially paralyzed in an Oakland drive-by .
Baglien said the domestic agency told her it had checked out the Garcia family and the situation seemed like a perfect fit .
On that day , Nicole Garcia was away on a trip and left Baglien in charge of the children , according to a sheriff ’ s report .
Baglien had planned to take the two girls to her granddaughter ’ s birthday party in Fullerton .
But George Garcia , the report said , refused to let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baglien interceded , Garcia punched her in the stomach , sending her to the floor , the report alleged .
He then grabbed her arm and began twisting it .
Baglien broke away and called 911 .
Garcia was arrested for assault , but was cited and released .
No assault charges could be found against him in the court database .
Baglien said George Garcia left the family home because of a temporary restraining order obtained by his wife .
Nicole Garcia then asked Baglien to sign a settlement saying she would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused , saying the assault left her with six injured spinal disks .
Then in March , with a deadly virus sweeping the world , Nicole Garcia fired Baglien and told her to leave .
Baglien again refused , invoking her rights as a tenant .
Garcia called the Sheriff ’ s Department , but a deputy explained there was nothing he could do .
It was a civil problem .
According to a complaint filed by Baglien with the Sheriff ’ s Department , Deputies Nicholas Doty and Steve Hortz arrived at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baglien to leave .
The deputies had no eviction papers , no court orders , just their badges .
The complaint said it appeared that the deputies knew Nicole Garcia .
Doty is a resource officer at Yorba Linda High School .
He won a sheriff ’ s lifesaving medal in 2016 for helping to resuscitate a 66-year-old man who suffered a heart attack while walking near his home .
Horst was awarded the sheriff ’ s Medal of Courage in 2017 for saving a 21-year-old man from leaping to his death from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baglien says Doty and Horst ’ s message was clear : leave or go to jail , at a time when Sheriff Don Barnes was releasing nonviolent jail inmates early to keep COVID-19 from spreading behind bars .
Baglien left and spent at least one night in her Nissan before she landed with a relative in Las Vegas .
“ I was crying hysterically , my face was swollen shut , ” she said in a phone interview .
“ They told me to leave when I didn ’ t do anything.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the department against the two deputies and plans to file a damage claim against the county .
“ I wasn ’ t going to leave and ( the deputies ) were getting upset , ” Baglien remembers .
“ They said , ‘ You ’ re not leeching off this woman another day.
’ ” Sheriff ’ s Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said Baglien ’ s complaint is being investigated .
“ We have received the complaint and are looking into its merits .
As such , we are not able to comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Braun said .
Nicole Garcia hung up the phone when contacted by a reporter .
George Garcia could not be reached for comment .

Patty Baglien came to the house on Fremont Lane in Yorba Linda last year with five suitcases and high hopes.
A live-in nanny, the 57-year-old grandmother had found a family to care for — three teenagers to send off to school, make their beds and cook their dinner. Mom was a respected local doctor, dad a respiratory therapist.
And for seven months all went well in that house on Fremont Lane.
Then dad hit Baglien with a gut punch. Literally.
He allegedly punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind right out of her and her idyllic life. Weeks later — in the middle of a global pandemic and state shutdown orders — Baglien was left jobless and homeless, thrown out of the $1.2 million house by two sheriff’s deputies despite eviction moratoriums by the governor’s office and Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
“I was scared they were going to arrest me and I didn’t want those bad marks on my record,” Baglien said.
From nanny to squatter
Baglien was no longer the beloved “nanny.” According to deputies, she was a “leech” who had to be shown the door. How did Baglien go from nanny to squatter?
Her story begins in April 2019 at the TLC Domestic Agency in Irvine.
Baglien was offered two leads by the agency; one was at the Yorba Linda home of Dr. Nicole Garcia and husband George. Baglien had a good feeling about that job offer: $800 a week plus room-and-board to care for two daughters and a son. The days were rather long, at 10 hours, but the work was easy and Baglien would be able to send some money to her convalescing daughter, a nurse who was shot and left partially paralyzed in an Oakland drive-by.
Baglien said the domestic agency told her it had checked out the Garcia family and the situation seemed like a perfect fit.
Until Oct. 6, 2019.
Dispute over daughters
On that day, Nicole Garcia was away on a trip and left Baglien in charge of the children, according to a sheriff’s report. Baglien had planned to take the two girls to her granddaughter’s birthday party in Fullerton.
But George Garcia, the report said, refused to let one of the girls go. When Baglien interceded, Garcia punched her in the stomach, sending her to the floor, the report alleged. He then grabbed her arm and began twisting it. Baglien broke away and called 911.
Garcia was arrested for assault, but was cited and released. No assault charges could be found against him in the court database.
Baglien said George Garcia left the family home because of a temporary restraining order obtained by his wife. Nicole Garcia then asked Baglien to sign a settlement saying she would not sue, Baglien said. She refused, saying the assault left her with six injured spinal disks.
Then in March, with a deadly virus sweeping the world, Nicole Garcia fired Baglien and told her to leave. Baglien again refused, invoking her rights as a tenant.
Garcia called the Sheriff’s Department, but a deputy explained there was nothing he could do. It was a civil problem.
But Nicole Garcia didn’t give up.
Were deputies friends of wife?
According to a complaint filed by Baglien with the Sheriff’s Department, Deputies Nicholas Doty and Steve Hortz arrived at the house on April 9 and ordered Baglien to leave. The deputies had no eviction papers, no court orders, just their badges. The complaint said it appeared that the deputies knew Nicole Garcia.
Doty is a resource officer at Yorba Linda High School. He won a sheriff’s lifesaving medal in 2016 for helping to resuscitate a 66-year-old man who suffered a heart attack while walking near his home. Horst was awarded the sheriff’s Medal of Courage in 2017 for saving a 21-year-old man from leaping to his death from a ledge at a shopping mall.
Baglien says Doty and Horst’s message was clear: leave or go to jail, at a time when Sheriff Don Barnes was releasing nonviolent jail inmates early to keep COVID-19 from spreading behind bars.
Baglien left and spent at least one night in her Nissan before she landed with a relative in Las Vegas.
‘I didn’t do anything’
“I was crying hysterically, my face was swollen shut,” she said in a phone interview. “They told me to leave when I didn’t do anything.”
She has filed a formal complaint with the department against the two deputies and plans to file a damage claim against the county.
“I wasn’t going to leave and (the deputies) were getting upset,” Baglien remembers. “They said, ‘You’re not leeching off this woman another day.’ ”
Sheriff’s Department investigating
Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said Baglien’s complaint is being investigated.
“We have received the complaint and are looking into its merits. As such, we are not able to comment on the specifics at this time,” Braun said.
Nicole Garcia hung up the phone when contacted by a reporter. George Garcia could not be reached for comment.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--California police shooting results in death of man said to be armed with hammer

Authorities responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex in Laguna Niguel shot and killed a man Monday , May 11 .
Multiple residents of an apartment complex on the 40 block of Coral Sea called to report a disturbance between a man and a woman at about 12:30 p.m. , Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said .
When deputies arrived , they encountered a man in his 30s who was believed to have been armed with a hammer .
He was fatally wounded by at least one deputy .
His identity had not been made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Orange County Fire Authority personnel immediately rendered aid , but the man died at the scene of the shooting , Braun said .
He lived in the residence authorities responded to , which is on the second floor of the complex , and was in a relationship with the woman in her 30s who was involved in the incident .
She was not injured , Braun said .
There were no other people inside the apartment at the time of the disturbance .
At some point following the shooting a minor explosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
One of the three responding deputies happened to be a member of the Sheriff ’ s bomb squad , and determined that there was no lingering threat to residents following the blast .
Its cause was under investigation .
It was not immediately clear if a hammer had been recovered from the man who was shot .
The Orange County District ’ s Attorney Office was conducting an investigation into the matter , which is standard practice following deputy or officer-involved shootings , Braun said .
Further details surrounding the incident @ @ @ @ @

Authorities responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex in Laguna Niguel shot and killed a man Monday, May 11.
#OCSDPIO Deputy-involved shooting at the 40 block of Coral Sea Lane in Laguna Niguel. Call was of an unknown disturbance. One male subject deceased, no deputies injured. Investigation ongoing, more to follow. pic.twitter.com/iLHWBDBiqP — OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) May 11, 2020
Multiple residents of an apartment complex on the 40 block of Coral Sea called to report a disturbance between a man and a woman at about 12:30 p.m., Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said. When deputies arrived, they encountered a man in his 30s who was believed to have been armed with a hammer.
He was fatally wounded by at least one deputy. His identity had not been made public as of Monday evening.
Deputies and Orange County Fire Authority personnel immediately rendered aid, but the man died at the scene of the shooting, Braun said. He lived in the residence authorities responded to, which is on the second floor of the complex, and was in a relationship with the woman in her 30s who was involved in the incident.
She was not injured, Braun said. There were no other people inside the apartment at the time of the disturbance.
At some point following the shooting a minor explosion took place in the apartment, Braun said. One of the three responding deputies happened to be a member of the Sheriff’s bomb squad, and determined that there was no lingering threat to residents following the blast. Its cause was under investigation.
It was not immediately clear if a hammer had been recovered from the man who was shot. The Orange County District’s Attorney Office was conducting an investigation into the matter, which is standard practice following deputy or officer-involved shootings, Braun said.
No deputies were injured.
Further details surrounding the incident were not immediately released.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Six sex offenders whose early release was criticized by California DA are arrested again

A half dozen sex offenders whose early release from local lockup for parole violations drew condemnation from Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer are back behind bars after authorities allege they once again broke the terms of their release .
Spitzer in earlier interviews on local and national news outlets and a statement to the public sharply criticized the decision by a court commissioner to release seven “ high-risk ” sex offenders for time served .
The DA ’ s office now says that six of those seven offenders have already been re-arrested .
The district attorney has alleged that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of a larger effort by court officials to do “ everything in their power to ” reduce the jail population .
Public Defender Sharon Petrosino countered by accusing Spitzer of “ fear-mongering ” and distorting the facts of the cases to scare the public .
According to the DA ’ s office , most of the six accused of violating parole after their release either failed to adhere to their supervision or rendered their GPS units inoperable .
As of Monday they remained behind bars , local jail records show .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-risk sex offenders continue to violate the law and do everything they can to avoid being tracked by law enforcement , ” Spitzer said in a statement .
“ There is a concerted effort here in California and across the nation to open up the jailhouse doors and let dangerous criminals back into our streets without regard for the safety of the public which we are sworn to protect.
” The public defenders office has noted that the more recent recent offenses by the individuals spotlighted by Spitzer were not sex crimes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or making criminal threats .
The public defenders office also noted that many parolees charge their GPS devices at county facilities that are now closed .
Law enforcement officials across the state have wrestled with how to halt the spread of coronavirus in prisons and local jails .
Some efforts – including the early release of non-violent inmates near the end of their sentences – have been backed by police .
Others – including a “ no bail ” edict for low-level crimes backed by the California Judicial Council – have drawn local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offenders also drew condemnation from some local leaders .
In a letter to Commissioner Joe Dane , Santa Ana Councilman Phil Bacerra denounced the decision to release the inmates early.. “ During the COVID-19 pandemic , the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department has taken the appropriate steps to responsibly reduce the population at the Orange County Jail to help limit the spread of Coronavirus , ” Bacerra wrote .
“ However , there has not been a need to release additional inmates , particularly dangerous ones , from the jail .
Your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our community.
” Dane has not commented on the criticism , with Orange County judicial officials pointing to legal and ethical restrictions that bar judges or commissioners from speaking about active criminal cases .
Since Dane is an appointed commissioner , not a sitting judge , the DA ’ s office is now using its right to object to his overseeing parole violations involving sex offenders .

A half dozen sex offenders whose early release from local lockup for parole violations drew condemnation from Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer are back behind bars after authorities allege they once again broke the terms of their release.
Spitzer in earlier interviews on local and national news outlets and a statement to the public sharply criticized the decision by a court commissioner to release seven “high-risk” sex offenders for time served. The DA’s office now says that six of those seven offenders have already been re-arrested.
The district attorney has alleged that the release of the sex offenders was part of a larger effort by court officials to do “everything in their power to” reduce the jail population. Public Defender Sharon Petrosino countered by accusing Spitzer of “fear-mongering” and distorting the facts of the cases to scare the public.
According to the DA’s office, most of the six accused of violating parole after their release either failed to adhere to their supervision or rendered their GPS units inoperable. As of Monday they remained behind bars, local jail records show.
“It comes as no surprise that these high-risk sex offenders continue to violate the law and do everything they can to avoid being tracked by law enforcement,” Spitzer said in a statement. “There is a concerted effort here in California and across the nation to open up the jailhouse doors and let dangerous criminals back into our streets without regard for the safety of the public which we are sworn to protect.”
The public defenders office has noted that the more recent recent offenses by the individuals spotlighted by Spitzer were not sex crimes, but instead crimes such as drug possession or making criminal threats. The public defenders office also noted that many parolees charge their GPS devices at county facilities that are now closed.
Law enforcement officials across the state have wrestled with how to halt the spread of coronavirus in prisons and local jails. Some efforts – including the early release of non-violent inmates near the end of their sentences – have been backed by police. Others – including a “no bail” edict for low-level crimes backed by the California Judicial Council – have drawn local opposition.
The release of the sex offenders also drew condemnation from some local leaders. In a letter to Commissioner Joe Dane, Santa Ana Councilman Phil Bacerra denounced the decision to release the inmates early..
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has taken the appropriate steps to responsibly reduce the population at the Orange County Jail to help limit the spread of Coronavirus,” Bacerra wrote. “However, there has not been a need to release additional inmates, particularly dangerous ones, from the jail. Your actions jeopardize the safety and well-being of our community.”
Dane has not commented on the criticism, with Orange County judicial officials pointing to legal and ethical restrictions that bar judges or commissioners from speaking about active criminal cases. Since Dane is an appointed commissioner, not a sitting judge, the DA’s office is now using its right to object to his overseeing parole violations involving sex offenders.


mercurynews--2020-05-12--Zero coronavirus deaths in 14 days? Can’t do it, Southern California counties say

There ’ s no way Southern California ’ s highly populated counties can meet Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s benchmarks for novel coronavirus cases and deaths for businesses to open earlier , supervisors in several counties said .
Supervisors in Riverside , San Bernardino , and Orange counties are discussing a joint effort to convince Newsom to revise his benchmarks , which among other milestones call for no COVID-19 deaths for two weeks and just one new case per 10,000 for two weeks .
If counties meet the benchmarks , businesses can reopen faster in the governor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in phase two , which allows florists , bookstores , and other retailers to offer curbside pickup .
Los Angeles , Orange , Riverside and San Bernardino counties , each with millions of residents , currently don ’ t qualify to reopen earlier .
“ ( The benchmarks ) are unattainable by the County of Riverside and quite frankly , unattainable by any urban county in Southern California , ” Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said Friday , May 8 .
Perez ’ s comments came before the Board of Supervisors asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rescind three of his coronavirus health orders , including one mandating face coverings in public , and to take vocational schools , colleges , and universities out of an order closing schools until June 19 .
Kaiser did what the board asked Saturday .
The board ’ s vote followed two meetings and more than nine hours of public testimony in what became an emotional showdown between individual rights and the need to stop an airborne virus that ’ s killed more than 80,000 in the U.S. and 2,700 in California .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hopes Newsom ’ s benchmark unveiled Thursday would bring good news and clarity to efforts to align with state coronavirus rules .
Perez , a Democrat like the governor , said Friday he was “ taken aback and honestly , disappointed ” by what Newsom outlined , especially since the county has the hospital capacity to weather a COVID-19 surge and has made great strides in testing .
Supervisor Chuck Washington , another Democrat , said the governor “ disappointed all of us with his announcements ” and that he heard similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a California State Association of Counties conference call .
“ We can ’ t achieve two weeks of zero deaths .
That ’ s impossible in the very near term and probably in the very far term , ” Washington said , later adding : “ I ’ m upset because we are ready to go.
” Newsom has said that science and data , not politics , will guide the state ’ s reopening .
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt on Friday wanted to join counties like Yuba , Sutter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gyms , dine-in restaurants and hair salons to open in defiance of state COVID-19 restrictions .
“ You couldn ’ t have one death in 14 days in a county the size of Riverside ?
” asked Hewitt , a Libertarian .
“ How do you negotiate with somebody that sets those kind of goals ?
” He later added : “ When a governor ’ s orders threaten the lives and the well-being and the very futures of my constituents , I don ’ t view him as a friend anymore.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I don ’ t think anyone ’ s doubting that some of the stuff the governor ’ s doing is not constitutional nor wise , ” the county can ’ t “ get rid of ” state authority .
“ I think ( by rescinding Riverside County ’ s orders ) we take a win here for Riverside County ’ s really hard-hit families , ” Jeffries said Friday .
“ Take this win and then figure out , working with everybody else in the other counties , how do we push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power and actually win and save our state ?
” Hewitt replied : “ I don ’ t know .
A tiny little colony did that about 250 years ago.
” Rather than being “ reckless , ” Washington said Riverside County should see “ if there are other counties in Southern California that want to partner with us to go to court to get some sort of movement out of the governor .
We will have the power in numbers.
” Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner confirmed Monday that he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supervisor Curt Hagman , who chair their respective boards , about a draft letter asking Newsom to tweak some of the benchmarks .
Wagner said it ’ s a bipartisan effort that ’ s not intended to criticize Newsom ’ s handling of the pandemic .
“ The idea is simply to ask the governor to come up with criteria that are more reflective of the actual situation on the ground in the more urban counties , ” he said .
After hearing Perez ’ s statements Friday , Hagman reached out about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Wert said .
“ The result is this letter that our county is working on , ” Wert said .
San Bernardino County drafted a letter to Newsom asking him to listen to county officials ’ concerns about the benchmarks .
But first , the letter was sent to Riverside , San Diego , Orange and Ventura counties for their input , Wert said .
“ The idea is for all five to speak with one voice , ” Wert said .
On Friday , San Bernardino County sent a letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 24 city mayors asking for local discretion on determining when and how to reopen the remaining phases .
Via email , Riverside County spokeswoman Brooke Federico said : “ Riverside County is reaching out to neighboring counties to determine opportunities for regional coordination toward getting more Southern California businesses open under the governor ’ s Stage 2 reopening plan.
” Staff writers Sandra Emerson and Alicia Robinson contributed to this report .

There’s no way Southern California’s highly populated counties can meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s benchmarks for novel coronavirus cases and deaths for businesses to open earlier, supervisors in several counties said.
Supervisors in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange counties are discussing a joint effort to convince Newsom to revise his benchmarks, which among other milestones call for no COVID-19 deaths for two weeks and just one new case per 10,000 for two weeks.
If counties meet the benchmarks, businesses can reopen faster in the governor’s four-phase reopening plan. California is currently in phase two, which allows florists, bookstores, and other retailers to offer curbside pickup.
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, each with millions of residents, currently don’t qualify to reopen earlier. “(The benchmarks) are unattainable by the County of Riverside and quite frankly, unattainable by any urban county in Southern California,” Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said Friday, May 8.
Perez’s comments came before the Board of Supervisors asked county Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser to rescind three of his coronavirus health orders, including one mandating face coverings in public, and to take vocational schools, colleges, and universities out of an order closing schools until June 19.
Kaiser did what the board asked Saturday. The board’s vote followed two meetings and more than nine hours of public testimony in what became an emotional showdown between individual rights and the need to stop an airborne virus that’s killed more than 80,000 in the U.S. and 2,700 in California.
The board delayed its vote May 5 in hopes Newsom’s benchmark unveiled Thursday would bring good news and clarity to efforts to align with state coronavirus rules.
Perez, a Democrat like the governor, said Friday he was “taken aback and honestly, disappointed” by what Newsom outlined, especially since the county has the hospital capacity to weather a COVID-19 surge and has made great strides in testing.
Supervisor Chuck Washington, another Democrat, said the governor “disappointed all of us with his announcements” and that he heard similar frustrations from county supervisors across the state during a California State Association of Counties conference call.
“We can’t achieve two weeks of zero deaths. That’s impossible in the very near term and probably in the very far term,” Washington said, later adding: “I’m upset because we are ready to go.”
Newsom has said that science and data, not politics, will guide the state’s reopening.
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt on Friday wanted to join counties like Yuba, Sutter, and Modoc that have allowed shopping malls, gyms, dine-in restaurants and hair salons to open in defiance of state COVID-19 restrictions.
“You couldn’t have one death in 14 days in a county the size of Riverside?” asked Hewitt, a Libertarian. “How do you negotiate with somebody that sets those kind of goals?”
He later added: “When a governor’s orders threaten the lives and the well-being and the very futures of my constituents, I don’t view him as a friend anymore.”
Supervisor Kevin Jeffries said that while “I don’t think anyone’s doubting that some of the stuff the governor’s doing is not constitutional nor wise,” the county can’t “get rid of” state authority.
“I think (by rescinding Riverside County’s orders) we take a win here for Riverside County’s really hard-hit families,” Jeffries said Friday. “Take this win and then figure out, working with everybody else in the other counties, how do we push back on a governor who has incredible power and actually win and save our state?”
Hewitt replied: “I don’t know. A tiny little colony did that about 250 years ago.”
Rather than being “reckless,” Washington said Riverside County should see “if there are other counties in Southern California that want to partner with us to go to court to get some sort of movement out of the governor. We will have the power in numbers.”
‘One voice’
Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner confirmed Monday that he’s spoken with Perez and San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman, who chair their respective boards, about a draft letter asking Newsom to tweak some of the benchmarks.
Wagner said it’s a bipartisan effort that’s not intended to criticize Newsom’s handling of the pandemic.
“The idea is simply to ask the governor to come up with criteria that are more reflective of the actual situation on the ground in the more urban counties,” he said.
After hearing Perez’s statements Friday, Hagman reached out about working together, San Bernardino County spokesman David Wert said.
“The result is this letter that our county is working on,” Wert said.
San Bernardino County drafted a letter to Newsom asking him to listen to county officials’ concerns about the benchmarks. But first, the letter was sent to Riverside, San Diego, Orange and Ventura counties for their input, Wert said.
“The idea is for all five to speak with one voice,” Wert said.
On Friday, San Bernardino County sent a letter to Newsom signed by all of the county’s 24 city mayors asking for local discretion on determining when and how to reopen the remaining phases.
Via email, Riverside County spokeswoman Brooke Federico said: “Riverside County is reaching out to neighboring counties to determine opportunities for regional coordination toward getting more Southern California businesses open under the governor’s Stage 2 reopening plan.”
Staff writers Sandra Emerson and Alicia Robinson contributed to this report.