mercurynews--2020-09-02--Joe Kennedy III loses Senate primary to Ed Markey

BOSTON ( AP ) — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III in Tuesday ’ s hard-fought Democratic primary , harnessing support from progressive leaders to overcome a challenge from a younger rival who is a member of America ’ s most famous political family .
It was the first time a Kennedy has lost a race for Congress in Massachusetts .
Markey appealed to voters in the deeply Democratic state by positioning himself as aligned with the liberal wing of the party .
He teamed up with a leading progressive , New York Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deal climate change initiative — and at one point labeled Kennedy “ a progressive in name only.
” That helped Markey overcome the enduring power of the Kennedy name in Massachusetts .
The 39-year-old congressman sought to cast the 74-year-old Markey as someone out of touch after spending decades in Congress , first in the House before moving to the Senate .
At a victory celebration in his hometown of Malden , Massachusetts , Markey ticked off a series of priorities , from support for the Black Lives Matter movement to a call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change , a signature issue for Markey .
“ Every other problem is linked to it .
No solution to any challenge will be successful unless we address it .
There will be no peace , no justice and no prosperity unless we stop the march to climate destruction , ” he said .
“ We must pass a Green New Deal.
” To make good on those pledges , Markey said Democrats have to take back control of the U.S. Senate and oust President Donald Trump in November .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most incompetent president in American history , ” Markey said .
“ We must banish his agenda of division and destruction to the history books.
” Earlier Tuesday evening Kennedy said that while the results aren ’ t the ones he ’ d hoped for , he would work for Markey ’ s reelection .
“ The senator is a good man .
You never heard me say otherwise , ” Kennedy told supporters at an outdoor rally .
Kennedy also suggested that the movement of supporters the campaign pulled together would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We may have lost the final vote count tonight but we built a coalition that will endure , ” he said .
“ I would do this again with all of you in a heartbeat.
” In the waning weeks of the campaign , Kennedy leaned into his family ’ s long political legacy in Massachusetts .
His pedigree includes former President John F. Kennedy ; former U.S .
Senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy , his grandfather ; and former U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy , who held a Senate seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until his death in 2009 .
Markey countered by leaning into his own family story — growing up in the working class city of Malden with a father who drove a milk truck .
Markey also wasn ’ t shy about talking about the Kennedy family , at one point pressing Kennedy to tell his father — former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy ll — to stop supporting a political action committee that was running ads against Markey .
“ I ’ m sure your father is watching right now , ” Markey said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you don ’ t want money to go into a super PAC that runs negative ads.
” Kennedy said he had “ no idea ” if his father was helping fund the PAC .
Late in the race , Kennedy landed a major endorsement when Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi formally backed his candidacy .
While Markey , who served with Pelosi in the House for decades , congratulated Kennedy , Pelosi ’ s decision angered some of Markey ’ s younger progressive supporters .
Markey had earlier won the endorsement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth Warren .
Markey now faces a general election contest where he is considered a strong favorite against Republican primary winner , Kevin O ’ Connor , in November .

By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III in Tuesday’s hard-fought Democratic primary, harnessing support from progressive leaders to overcome a challenge from a younger rival who is a member of America’s most famous political family.
It was the first time a Kennedy has lost a race for Congress in Massachusetts.
Markey appealed to voters in the deeply Democratic state by positioning himself as aligned with the liberal wing of the party. He teamed up with a leading progressive, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, on the Green New Deal climate change initiative — and at one point labeled Kennedy “a progressive in name only.”
That helped Markey overcome the enduring power of the Kennedy name in Massachusetts. The 39-year-old congressman sought to cast the 74-year-old Markey as someone out of touch after spending decades in Congress, first in the House before moving to the Senate.
At a victory celebration in his hometown of Malden, Massachusetts, Markey ticked off a series of priorities, from support for the Black Lives Matter movement to a call for Medicare for All, to combating climate change, a signature issue for Markey.
“Every other problem is linked to it. No solution to any challenge will be successful unless we address it. There will be no peace, no justice and no prosperity unless we stop the march to climate destruction,” he said. “We must pass a Green New Deal.”
To make good on those pledges, Markey said Democrats have to take back control of the U.S. Senate and oust President Donald Trump in November.
“He is the most corrupt, most racist, most incompetent president in American history,” Markey said. “We must banish his agenda of division and destruction to the history books.”
Earlier Tuesday evening Kennedy said that while the results aren’t the ones he’d hoped for, he would work for Markey’s reelection.
“The senator is a good man. You never heard me say otherwise,” Kennedy told supporters at an outdoor rally. Kennedy also suggested that the movement of supporters the campaign pulled together would continue past the current election.
“We may have lost the final vote count tonight but we built a coalition that will endure,” he said. “I would do this again with all of you in a heartbeat.”
In the waning weeks of the campaign, Kennedy leaned into his family’s long political legacy in Massachusetts. His pedigree includes former President John F. Kennedy; former U.S. Senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, his grandfather; and former U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, who held a Senate seat in Massachusetts for nearly half a century until his death in 2009.
Markey countered by leaning into his own family story — growing up in the working class city of Malden with a father who drove a milk truck.
Markey also wasn’t shy about talking about the Kennedy family, at one point pressing Kennedy to tell his father — former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy ll — to stop supporting a political action committee that was running ads against Markey.
“I’m sure your father is watching right now,” Markey said. “Tell your father right now that you don’t want money to go into a super PAC that runs negative ads.”
Kennedy said he had “no idea” if his father was helping fund the PAC.
Late in the race, Kennedy landed a major endorsement when Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi formally backed his candidacy.
While Markey, who served with Pelosi in the House for decades, congratulated Kennedy, Pelosi’s decision angered some of Markey’s younger progressive supporters. Markey had earlier won the endorsement of Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Markey now faces a general election contest where he is considered a strong favorite against Republican primary winner, Kevin O’Connor, in November.


mercurynews--2020-09-02--Woodward fire update: Marin shrouded in smoke; fire 25% contained

After two weeks of battling the wildfire burning through the Point Reyes National Seashore in West Marin , firefighters continue to be challenged by a thick marine layer , heavy brush on rugged terrain and lots of smoke , fire officials said Tuesday .
“ This isn ’ t something that we ’ re trying to extend or prolong , this is really Mother Nature that ’ s challenging us , ” Marin County fire Chief Jason Weber said .
“ We ’ re in the worst of it right now .
It is going to get better.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew to 4,465 acres overnight and was 25 % contained , the incident management team said Tuesday .
Evacuation orders and warnings around the fire area remain in effect .
Smoke from the West Marin fire and other nearby blazes has been blown over Marin County , resulting in hazy skies and poor air quality .
The air quality specialists assigned to the fire said particulates in the air would reach unhealthy and hazardous levels in Point Reyes as well as Novato .
The air in San Rafael posted moderate readings , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Management District issued a Spare the Air alert through Wednesday , marking a 16-day streak , the longest since the Camp fire in Paradise in 2018 , which lasted 14 days .
The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that residents refrain from outdoor activity and to stay indoors with windows and doors shut .
Weber said there are large amounts of heavy shrubs and trees burning and the marine layer is holding in the smoke .
“ We ’ re kind of in a smoldering phase that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Weber said .
As the county starts heating and drying up headed into the weekend , the fire will burn hotter and the smoke will be clearer , and hopefully , wind will push it out , Weber said .
Firefighters expected the marine layer over the fire zone to remain steady Tuesday bringing a higher relative humidity to the coast .
Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 73 degrees .
The wind will remain between 3 to 8 mph with gusts up to 15 mph , according to officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the marine layer foiled plans for water drops from aircraft Monday due to low visibility .
Scheduled burnouts by hand and using a drone to ignite areas where it is unsafe for ground crews to access were also canceled because of less than ideal burning conditions that come with the cool fog .
The burnout strategy helps firefighters strengthen containment lines .
Burnouts were scheduled Tuesday said Brandon Cichowski , operations chief of the Northern Rockies firefighting crew that is managing the blaze .
He said firefighters have made good progress on containment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ south ends of the fire .
The northern edge , southwest of the evacuation zone , is where firefighters have seen most activity .
Falling trees continue to pose another challenge for firefighters , he said , noting that there have been trees with trunks 7-feet in diameter that have toppled over in the burn zone .
Mandatory evacuations are still in effect for Silverhills Road , Fox Drive and Noren Way south of Inverness Park .
Weber said the fire has come within about 300 feet of parts of this evacuated area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuations “ until we really feel comfortable.
” Evacuation warnings are in effect in Seahaven , Inverness and Inverness Park .
Communities between Lagunitas Creek and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard on both the east and west sides of Highway 1 and between Five Brooks and the Bolinas Ridge Fire Road are also under warning .

After two weeks of battling the wildfire burning through the Point Reyes National Seashore in West Marin, firefighters continue to be challenged by a thick marine layer, heavy brush on rugged terrain and lots of smoke, fire officials said Tuesday.
“This isn’t something that we’re trying to extend or prolong, this is really Mother Nature that’s challenging us,” Marin County fire Chief Jason Weber said. “We’re in the worst of it right now. It is going to get better.”
Incident page: Woodward fire
The Woodward fire, west of Olema, grew to 4,465 acres overnight and was 25% contained, the incident management team said Tuesday. Evacuation orders and warnings around the fire area remain in effect.
Smoke from the West Marin fire and other nearby blazes has been blown over Marin County, resulting in hazy skies and poor air quality. The air quality specialists assigned to the fire said particulates in the air would reach unhealthy and hazardous levels in Point Reyes as well as Novato. The air in San Rafael posted moderate readings, officials said.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Spare the Air alert through Wednesday, marking a 16-day streak, the longest since the Camp fire in Paradise in 2018, which lasted 14 days.
The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that residents refrain from outdoor activity and to stay indoors with windows and doors shut.
Weber said there are large amounts of heavy shrubs and trees burning and the marine layer is holding in the smoke.
“We’re kind of in a smoldering phase that is putting up a lot of smoke,” Weber said.
As the county starts heating and drying up headed into the weekend, the fire will burn hotter and the smoke will be clearer, and hopefully, wind will push it out, Weber said.
Firefighters expected the marine layer over the fire zone to remain steady Tuesday bringing a higher relative humidity to the coast. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 73 degrees.
The wind will remain between 3 to 8 mph with gusts up to 15 mph, according to officials.
The blended smoke and fog from the marine layer foiled plans for water drops from aircraft Monday due to low visibility. Scheduled burnouts by hand and using a drone to ignite areas where it is unsafe for ground crews to access were also canceled because of less than ideal burning conditions that come with the cool fog. The burnout strategy helps firefighters strengthen containment lines.
Burnouts were scheduled Tuesday said Brandon Cichowski, operations chief of the Northern Rockies firefighting crew that is managing the blaze. He said firefighters have made good progress on containment lines on the west, east and south ends of the fire. The northern edge, southwest of the evacuation zone, is where firefighters have seen most activity.
Falling trees continue to pose another challenge for firefighters, he said, noting that there have been trees with trunks 7-feet in diameter that have toppled over in the burn zone.
Mandatory evacuations are still in effect for Silverhills Road, Fox Drive and Noren Way south of Inverness Park.
Weber said the fire has come within about 300 feet of parts of this evacuated area, noting that officials will not lift evacuations “until we really feel comfortable.”
Evacuation warnings are in effect in Seahaven, Inverness and Inverness Park. Communities between Lagunitas Creek and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard on both the east and west sides of Highway 1 and between Five Brooks and the Bolinas Ridge Fire Road are also under warning.
The Point Reyes National Seashore remains closed.


mercurynews--2020-09-02--Editorial: Ranked-choice voting could racially diversify councils

Local elected city council and school boards in California are often plagued by at least one of two problems : First , in races with large numbers of candidates , winners are often selected with the backing of only a small portion of the electorate .
Second , minority groups are often proportionately underrepresented on elected boards because minority voters don ’ t unite behind a single candidate or don ’ t have enough votes to prevail .
The second issue is a particular problem for Albany .
Asian Americans make up a quarter of the population , but only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council in the past 25 years .
A group of Albany residents are proposing a smart solution that addresses both issues .
Their plan would change the city ’ s elections to ranked-choice voting .
They launched an initiative to place their plan before voters .
But when the pandemic interfered with their signature-gathering drive , the City Council used its authority to put Measure BB on the Nov. 3 ballot .
Voters should support it .
Other cities that operate under their own charters should also consider ranked-choice voting .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of racial inequity , Gov .
Gavin Newsom should drop his objection to ranked-choice voting so that California ’ s general law cities can also have the option .
Under ranked-choice voting , voters order their candidate preferences .
If their first choice does poorly , their vote is then transferred to their next choice .
In the Bay Area , Oakland , Berkeley , San Leandro and San Francisco use the system .
What makes Albany ’ s plan different for California is that it would be applied to races in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cambridge , Mass.
, Eastpointe , Mich. , Minneapolis , Minn. , Australia , Ireland , New Zealand , Malta , Northern Ireland , Scotland , India , Nepal and Pakistan have been using ranked-choice voting for multi-seat races for years , according to FairVote , a ranked-choice voting advocacy group .
In California , ranked-choice voting potentially could protect cities from state voting rights litigation that has been proliferating for years .
Jurisdictions where minorities are underrepresented on the governing boards face threats of costly lawsuits if they don ’ t convert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Albany currently faces such a threat .
Most jurisdictions have capitulated .
But the districts , which are redrawn every 10 years , can not always be drawn to strengthen minority voting rights because individual racial groups are not necessarily geographically concentrated .
Ranked-choice voting was recently agreed to as part of a settlement to a voting-rights lawsuit in Palm Desert .
The system can provide a better alternative for bolstering minority representation , especially when racial groups are not geographically compacted .
To understand why , consider a race for three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , each voter has three votes , so a majority group voting as a bloc can determine the outcome of all three seats .
In contrast , ranked-choice voting essentially gives each voter one vote — giving votes of minority groups greater weight and making proportional representation more likely .
Ranked-choice voting in elections for multiple seats first requires determining how many votes are enough to guarantee victory .
For an election with one seat , that threshold is more than 50 % , for two seats it ’ s more than 33 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s more than 25 % .
If , say , six candidates were running for three seats , each voter would rank the six candidates in order of preference .
A candidate who hit the threshold would win a seat and his or her votes that exceed the threshold would be transferred proportionally to the other candidates .
Then , the last-place finisher would drop off and that person ’ s votes would be transferred to those voters ’ second choice .
This reallocation would continue until there are three candidates each with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s a bit complicated .
But it ensures that no one wastes a vote on a last-place finisher ; eliminates the incentive to run candidates who will split the vote for an opponent ; strengthens minority representation ; and , for cities threatened with litigation , provides an alternative to politically charged decennial redistricting that doesn ’ t necessarily improve minority representation .
• Our election endorsements for the Nov. 3 races and ballot measures Albany voters have the option to implement ranked-choice voting because the city operates under its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permit ranked-choice voting for cities that operate under the general laws of the state .
The Legislature — urged by groups including American Civil Liberties Union of California , Asian Americans Advancing Justice , League of California Cities and League of Women Voters — last year passed Senate Bill 212 to permit all cities the option .
But Newsom vetoed it , saying the state needs more time to study how it has worked in the cities that have it .
Voters in San Francisco , the city where he was mayor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been in use in Cambridge , Mass.
, since the 1940s .
The time for local electoral reform in California is now .

Click here for a complete list of our election recommendations.
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Local city council and school board elections in California are often plagued by at least one of two problems:
First, in races with large numbers of candidates, winners are often selected with the backing of only a small portion of the electorate.
Second, minority groups are often proportionately underrepresented on elected boards because minority voters don’t unite behind a single candidate or don’t have enough votes to prevail.
The second issue is a particular problem for Albany. Asian Americans make up a quarter of the population, but only one has been elected to the City Council in the past 25 years.
A group of Albany residents are proposing a smart solution that addresses both issues. Their plan would change the city’s elections to ranked-choice voting. They launched an initiative to place their plan before voters. But when the pandemic interfered with their signature-gathering drive, the City Council used its authority to put Measure BB on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Voters should support it. Other cities that operate under their own charters should also consider ranked-choice voting. And, as the nation grapples with its history of racial inequity, Gov. Gavin Newsom should drop his objection to ranked-choice voting so that California’s general law cities can also have the option.
Under ranked-choice voting, voters order their candidate preferences. If their first choice does poorly, their vote is then transferred to their next choice. In the Bay Area, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro and San Francisco use the system.
What makes Albany’s plan different for California is that it would be applied to races in which more than one person is selected. Cambridge, Mass., Eastpointe, Mich., Minneapolis, Minn., Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Malta, Northern Ireland, Scotland, India, Nepal and Pakistan have been using ranked-choice voting for multi-seat races for years, according to FairVote, a ranked-choice voting advocacy group.
In California, ranked-choice voting potentially could protect cities from state voting rights litigation that has been proliferating for years. Jurisdictions where minorities are underrepresented on the governing boards face threats of costly lawsuits if they don’t convert from at-large elections to balloting by district. Albany currently faces such a threat.
Most jurisdictions have capitulated. But the districts, which are redrawn every 10 years, cannot always be drawn to strengthen minority voting rights because individual racial groups are not necessarily geographically concentrated.
Ranked-choice voting was recently agreed to as part of a settlement to a voting-rights lawsuit in Palm Desert. The system can provide a better alternative for bolstering minority representation, especially when racial groups are not geographically compacted.
To understand why, consider a race for three seats: In a traditional at-large election, each voter has three votes, so a majority group voting as a bloc can determine the outcome of all three seats. In contrast, ranked-choice voting essentially gives each voter one vote — giving votes of minority groups greater weight and making proportional representation more likely.
Ranked-choice voting in elections for multiple seats first requires determining how many votes are enough to guarantee victory. For an election with one seat, that threshold is more than 50%, for two seats it’s more than 33% and for three seats it’s more than 25%.
If, say, six candidates were running for three seats, each voter would rank the six candidates in order of preference. A candidate who hit the threshold would win a seat and his or her votes that exceed the threshold would be transferred proportionally to the other candidates.
Then, the last-place finisher would drop off and that person’s votes would be transferred to those voters’ second choice. This reallocation would continue until there are three candidates each with more than 25% of the vote.
It’s a bit complicated. But it ensures that no one wastes a vote on a last-place finisher; eliminates the incentive to run candidates who will split the vote for an opponent; strengthens minority representation; and, for cities threatened with litigation, provides an alternative to politically charged decennial redistricting that doesn’t necessarily improve minority representation.
Albany voters have the option to implement ranked-choice voting because the city operates under its own charter. State law does not permit ranked-choice voting for cities that operate under the general laws of the state.
The Legislature — urged by groups including American Civil Liberties Union of California, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, League of California Cities and League of Women Voters — last year passed Senate Bill 212 to permit all cities the option. But Newsom vetoed it, saying the state needs more time to study how it has worked in the cities that have it.
Voters in San Francisco, the city where he was mayor, approved ranked-choice voting in 2002. It’s been in use in Cambridge, Mass., since the 1940s. The time for local electoral reform in California is now.


mercurynews--2020-09-02--Point Reyes fire crews protect Miwok cultural site

A recreated Coast Miwok village and cultural site in the Point Reyes National Seashore avoided potential destruction over the weekend after Woodward fire crews used prescribed burns to protect it .
The burns on Saturday were performed as the Woodward fire line was nearing the Kule Loklo cultural site north of the park ’ s Bear Valley Visitor Center .
Mike Granger , operations section chief with the Northern Rockies Type 1 Incident Management Team , said there was a risk of losing the entire village if crews did not reduce the fuels .
“ If the fire and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area of the village it could have blown fire through that village and we wouldn ’ t have been able to save anything in there , ” Granger said on Tuesday .
Crews dug control lines , removed low-hanging limbs on nearby trees and dug perimeters surrounding each of the structures at Kule Loklo .
Fire crews were able to burn away ground fuels up to just a few feet away from the dwellings without damaging them .
“ It was very successful , ” Granger said .
“ We burned all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is nothing left to burn around that village that is inside the control lines.
” Kule Loklo , which translates to Valley of the Bear , is a recreation of a traditional Coast Miwok village .
Created through a partnership of the Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin and the National Park Service during the 1970s , the site is used as an interpretive exhibit for visitors as well as a ceremonial site for Coast Miwok descendants .
Lorelle Ross , vice chairwoman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria , which is made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peoples , said the rancheria and park service have a longstanding relationship that guides the cultural stewardship of the park and village .
Ross said the site is “ a sacred cultural landscape ” and the federation is “ so grateful to firefighters for their heroic efforts to protect lives and land.
” Dean Hoaglin , a Coast Miwok descendent from Santa Rosa , and his family have held and participated in traditional ceremonies , such as the Big Time Festival , at the site for about two decades .
The news that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused mixed feelings for Hoaglin .
While the village is a modern recreation , it is also where the Coast Miwok culture is preserved through ceremonies , prayer , dancing , singing and the overall recognition the land where their ancestors lived , Hoaglin said .
“ It ’ s a very special place , ” Hoaglin said .
“ Last time I was there I went and offered prayers at the door of the roundhouse .
Our prayers were laid there and just paying respects.
” Had the blaze ended up destroying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wouldn ’ t be so concerning as fire is eventually followed by regrowth .
“ With the fire , I ’ m thinking maybe that would clean it up and maybe start it new , ” Hoaglin said .
“ When we do traditional burns that ’ s what we ’ re doing .
We ’ re burning to regenerate the land not only for the land itself and the plants but also for our animal relatives.
” After two weeks of battling the Woodward wildfire , firefighters continue to be challenged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brush on rugged terrain and lots of smoke , Marin County fire Chief Jason Weber said Tuesday .
“ This isn ’ t something that we ’ re trying to extend or prolong , this is really Mother Nature that ’ s challenging us , ” Weber said .
“ We ’ re in the worst of it right now .
It is going to get better.
” The fire , west of Olema , was 25 % contained at about 4,465 acres , the incident management team said Tuesday .
Evacuation orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in effect .
Smoke from the West Marin fire and other nearby blazes has been blown over Marin County , resulting in hazy skies and poor air quality .
The air quality specialists assigned to the fire said particulates in the air would reach unhealthy and hazardous levels in Point Reyes as well as Novato .
The air in San Rafael posted moderate readings , officials said .
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a “ spare the air ” alert through Wednesday , marking a 16-day streak , the longest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , which lasted 14 days .
The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that residents refrain from outdoor activity and to stay indoors with windows and doors shut .
Weber said there are large amounts of heavy shrubs and trees burning and the marine layer is holding in the smoke .
“ We ’ re kind of in a smoldering phase that is putting up a lot of smoke , ” Weber said .
As the county starts heating and drying up headed into the weekend , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be clearer , and wind might push it out , Weber said .
The blended smoke and fog from the marine layer foiled plans for water drops from aircraft Monday due to low visibility .
Scheduled burnouts by hand and using a drone to ignite areas where it is unsafe for ground crews to access were also canceled because of less than ideal burning conditions that come with the cool fog .
The burnout strategy helps firefighters strengthen containment lines .
Burnouts were scheduled Tuesday , said Brandon Cichowski , operations chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is managing the blaze .
He said firefighters have made good progress on containment lines on the west , east and south ends of the fire .
The northern edge , southwest of the evacuation zone , is where firefighters have seen most activity .
Falling trees continue to pose another challenge for firefighters , he said , noting that there have been trees with trunks 7 feet in diameter that have toppled over in the burn zone .
Mandatory evacuations are still in effect for Silverhills Road , Fox Drive and Noren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the fire has come within about 300 feet of parts of this evacuated area , noting that officials will not lift evacuations “ until we really feel comfortable.
” Evacuation warnings are in effect in Seahaven , Inverness and Inverness Park .
Communities are also under warning between Lagunitas Creek and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard on both the east and west sides of Highway 1 and between Five Brooks and the Bolinas Ridge Fire Road .

A recreated Coast Miwok village and cultural site in the Point Reyes National Seashore avoided potential destruction over the weekend after Woodward fire crews used prescribed burns to protect it.
The burns on Saturday were performed as the Woodward fire line was nearing the Kule Loklo cultural site north of the park’s Bear Valley Visitor Center.
Mike Granger, operations section chief with the Northern Rockies Type 1 Incident Management Team, said there was a risk of losing the entire village if crews did not reduce the fuels.
“If the fire and the winds lined up with those ridges in the area of the village it could have blown fire through that village and we wouldn’t have been able to save anything in there,” Granger said on Tuesday.
Crews dug control lines, removed low-hanging limbs on nearby trees and dug perimeters surrounding each of the structures at Kule Loklo. Fire crews were able to burn away ground fuels up to just a few feet away from the dwellings without damaging them.
“It was very successful,” Granger said. “We burned all the fuel up around there. There is nothing left to burn around that village that is inside the control lines.”
Kule Loklo, which translates to Valley of the Bear, is a recreation of a traditional Coast Miwok village. Created through a partnership of the Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin and the National Park Service during the 1970s, the site is used as an interpretive exhibit for visitors as well as a ceremonial site for Coast Miwok descendants.
Lorelle Ross, vice chairwoman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which is made up of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo peoples, said the rancheria and park service have a longstanding relationship that guides the cultural stewardship of the park and village.
Ross said the site is “a sacred cultural landscape” and the federation is “so grateful to firefighters for their heroic efforts to protect lives and land.”
Dean Hoaglin, a Coast Miwok descendent from Santa Rosa, and his family have held and participated in traditional ceremonies, such as the Big Time Festival, at the site for about two decades.
The news that the fire was burning near the site caused mixed feelings for Hoaglin. While the village is a modern recreation, it is also where the Coast Miwok culture is preserved through ceremonies, prayer, dancing, singing and the overall recognition the land where their ancestors lived, Hoaglin said.
“It’s a very special place,” Hoaglin said. “Last time I was there I went and offered prayers at the door of the roundhouse. Our prayers were laid there and just paying respects.”
Had the blaze ended up destroying or damaging the village, Hoaglin said it wouldn’t be so concerning as fire is eventually followed by regrowth.
“With the fire, I’m thinking maybe that would clean it up and maybe start it new,” Hoaglin said. “When we do traditional burns that’s what we’re doing. We’re burning to regenerate the land not only for the land itself and the plants but also for our animal relatives.”
Fire fight continues
After two weeks of battling the Woodward wildfire, firefighters continue to be challenged by a thick marine layer, heavy brush on rugged terrain and lots of smoke, Marin County fire Chief Jason Weber said Tuesday.
“This isn’t something that we’re trying to extend or prolong, this is really Mother Nature that’s challenging us,” Weber said. “We’re in the worst of it right now. It is going to get better.”
The fire, west of Olema, was 25% contained at about 4,465 acres, the incident management team said Tuesday. Evacuation orders and warnings around the fire area remain in effect.
Smoke from the West Marin fire and other nearby blazes has been blown over Marin County, resulting in hazy skies and poor air quality. The air quality specialists assigned to the fire said particulates in the air would reach unhealthy and hazardous levels in Point Reyes as well as Novato. The air in San Rafael posted moderate readings, officials said.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a “spare the air” alert through Wednesday, marking a 16-day streak, the longest since the Camp fire in Paradise in 2018, which lasted 14 days.
The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that residents refrain from outdoor activity and to stay indoors with windows and doors shut.
Weber said there are large amounts of heavy shrubs and trees burning and the marine layer is holding in the smoke.
“We’re kind of in a smoldering phase that is putting up a lot of smoke,” Weber said.
As the county starts heating and drying up headed into the weekend, the fire will burn hotter and the smoke will be clearer, and wind might push it out, Weber said.
The blended smoke and fog from the marine layer foiled plans for water drops from aircraft Monday due to low visibility. Scheduled burnouts by hand and using a drone to ignite areas where it is unsafe for ground crews to access were also canceled because of less than ideal burning conditions that come with the cool fog. The burnout strategy helps firefighters strengthen containment lines.
Burnouts were scheduled Tuesday, said Brandon Cichowski, operations chief of the Northern Rockies firefighting crew that is managing the blaze. He said firefighters have made good progress on containment lines on the west, east and south ends of the fire. The northern edge, southwest of the evacuation zone, is where firefighters have seen most activity.
Falling trees continue to pose another challenge for firefighters, he said, noting that there have been trees with trunks 7 feet in diameter that have toppled over in the burn zone.
Mandatory evacuations are still in effect for Silverhills Road, Fox Drive and Noren Way south of Inverness Park. Weber said the fire has come within about 300 feet of parts of this evacuated area, noting that officials will not lift evacuations “until we really feel comfortable.”
Evacuation warnings are in effect in Seahaven, Inverness and Inverness Park. Communities are also under warning between Lagunitas Creek and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard on both the east and west sides of Highway 1 and between Five Brooks and the Bolinas Ridge Fire Road.
The Point Reyes National Seashore remains closed.


mercurynews--2020-09-02--CZU Complex Fire: No clear timetable for lifting remaining evacuations

SANTA CRUZ — Firefighters may have turned a corner in battling an unprecedented blaze in the Santa Cruz Mountains , but thousands of residents anxious to return to their properties could still face a long road ahead .
About 13,640 Santa Cruz County residents remained under evacuation orders as of Tuesday , according to a county spokesman .
Ignited early in the morning Aug. 16 by a siege of lightning , the CZU Complex has torched more than 85,000 acres and destroyed at least 1,483 structures in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties .
Its flames have destroyed more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fire officials listed containment of the blaze at 43 % as of Tuesday morning .
Most areas still under evacuation are within the perimeter of the fire itself : Bonny Doon , most of Boulder Creek and areas to its northwest , the North Coast past Davenport , and areas near Butano and Big Basin state parks .
In calls , emails and social media posts , a number of those residents are clamoring to be let back to their properties .
“ Please allow those of us who are in relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , ” Bonny Doon resident Shirley Treanor wrote in a recent email to county supervisors .
“ We don ’ t need power to return – we manage with backup generators , ” Bonny Doon couple Shirin and George Melville wrote in another email .
“ We don ’ t need every hazard tree to be removed – we have chainsaws and we hire tree services as needed .
We don ’ t need the roads repaired to move in – sadly , we would be waiting forever.
” But when fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to areas directly impacted by fire remains unclear , Cal Fire CZU Unit Chief Ian Larkin told Santa Cruz County supervisors later in the morning .
“ One of the challenges we have on this specific fire is we ’ re trying to make the environment as safe as we possibly can for the firefighters who out there still working very hard to get the lines in and the areas mopped up so it ’ s safe for the residents to come back into , ” Larkin said , explaining that a network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific areas a challenge .
“ It ’ s very important that we make sure that we limit the people who are back in there so that the firefighters can go in and get that done.
” Responding to questions posed by 3rd District Supervisor Ryan Coonerty , Larkin said he couldn ’ t offer any specific timetable for lifting evacuation orders .
He emphasized that Cal Fire and the county Sheriff ’ s Office are jointly assessing the safety of repopulating evacuated areas on a daily basis .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as fast as we can to try to get people more back into the affected areas , ” Larkin said .
Hours later , however , evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings for a small number of residents in an area of northeastern Boulder Creek in the San Lorenzo Valley .
Most of Boulder Creek remained under evacuation orders as of press time , and the town remained under an unsafe water alert as tests are run to determine whether water mains were contaminated during the fire .
Residents in many areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ben Lomond are directed not to drink or boil water until further notice .
Damage to roadways , power lines , water mains and other infrastructure is also complicating repopulation efforts .
More than 40 PG & E crews continued working to fix hundreds of downed power lines , scorched poles and other damaged equipment that would leave more than 5,000 customers cut off from power even if evacuations were lifted .
PG & E had assessed about 90 % of fire-stricken areas and was working to repair roughly 600 sites , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was too soon to predict how long repairs could take .
Public works crews continued to survey damaged bridges , culverts and roadways , dozens of which are reportedly damaged .
And building inspection crews are likely weeks away from finishing their assessment of the safety of damaged structures themselves , a separate process that follows in the wake of Cal Fire ’ s initial damage assessment .
The condition of all public infrastructure must be carefully weighed before lifting evacuation orders , according to Cal Fire Public Information Officer Rigoberto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fire , electricity , water and roads , ” Herrera said .
Also Tuesday , county supervisors unanimously voted to direct the county ’ s planning , public works and environmental health departments to jointly develop a plan to help homeowners rebuild by Sept. 15 .
As part of that plan , county staff is directed to streamline rebuilding as “ much as legally possible.
” Specific direction includes allowing homeowners to live in temporary housing on their own — or a neighbors ’ — property while they rebuild , capping permitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal , and creating an online portal for information and necessary forms .
• Crews again gain ground in effort to contain historic Bay Area wildfires • Map : 7 big fires in California , and how they might ruin your Labor Day plans • Dolan Fire evacuation map : New zone added to orders for Big Sur wildfire The scaffold for the plan was introduced by supervisors Coonerty and Bruce McPherson , who together represent the county ’ s fire-stricken regions .
Supervisors also voted to affirm a fire-related health emergency declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officer , Dr. Gail Newel .
Calling damage to the county “ staggering , ” McPherson said his office is receiving dozens of calls each day from residents anxious to return to their properties .
He assured residents that local officials are committed to doing everything they can to help them rebuild .
“ We ’ re committed to rebuilding our community and being stronger and more resilient than ever before , ” McPherson said .

SANTA CRUZ — Firefighters may have turned a corner in battling an unprecedented blaze in the Santa Cruz Mountains, but thousands of residents anxious to return to their properties could still face a long road ahead.
About 13,640 Santa Cruz County residents remained under evacuation orders as of Tuesday, according to a county spokesman.
Ignited early in the morning Aug. 16 by a siege of lightning, the CZU Complex has torched more than 85,000 acres and destroyed at least 1,483 structures in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. Its flames have destroyed more than 900 homes in Santa Cruz County alone.
Fire officials listed containment of the blaze at 43% as of Tuesday morning.
Most areas still under evacuation are within the perimeter of the fire itself: Bonny Doon, most of Boulder Creek and areas to its northwest, the North Coast past Davenport, and areas near Butano and Big Basin state parks.
In calls, emails and social media posts, a number of those residents are clamoring to be let back to their properties.
“Please allow those of us who are in relatively safe areas from fire danger to return home,” Bonny Doon resident Shirley Treanor wrote in a recent email to county supervisors.
“We don’t need power to return – we manage with backup generators,” Bonny Doon couple Shirin and George Melville wrote in another email. “We don’t need every hazard tree to be removed – we have chainsaws and we hire tree services as needed. We don’t need the roads repaired to move in – sadly, we would be waiting forever.”
But when fire and law enforcement officials will lift evacuations to areas directly impacted by fire remains unclear, Cal Fire CZU Unit Chief Ian Larkin told Santa Cruz County supervisors later in the morning.
“One of the challenges we have on this specific fire is we’re trying to make the environment as safe as we possibly can for the firefighters who out there still working very hard to get the lines in and the areas mopped up so it’s safe for the residents to come back into,” Larkin said, explaining that a network of rural roadways makes restricting access to specific areas a challenge. “It’s very important that we make sure that we limit the people who are back in there so that the firefighters can go in and get that done.”
Responding to questions posed by 3rd District Supervisor Ryan Coonerty, Larkin said he couldn’t offer any specific timetable for lifting evacuation orders. He emphasized that Cal Fire and the county Sheriff’s Office are jointly assessing the safety of repopulating evacuated areas on a daily basis.
“We’re working as hard as we can and as fast as we can to try to get people more back into the affected areas,” Larkin said.
Hours later, however, evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings for a small number of residents in an area of northeastern Boulder Creek in the San Lorenzo Valley.
Most of Boulder Creek remained under evacuation orders as of press time, and the town remained under an unsafe water alert as tests are run to determine whether water mains were contaminated during the fire. Residents in many areas of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District north of Ben Lomond are directed not to drink or boil water until further notice.
Damage to roadways, power lines, water mains and other infrastructure is also complicating repopulation efforts. More than 40 PG&E crews continued working to fix hundreds of downed power lines, scorched poles and other damaged equipment that would leave more than 5,000 customers cut off from power even if evacuations were lifted.
PG&E had assessed about 90% of fire-stricken areas and was working to repair roughly 600 sites, according to spokesman Denny Boyles. He said it was too soon to predict how long repairs could take.
Public works crews continued to survey damaged bridges, culverts and roadways, dozens of which are reportedly damaged. And building inspection crews are likely weeks away from finishing their assessment of the safety of damaged structures themselves, a separate process that follows in the wake of Cal Fire’s initial damage assessment.
The condition of all public infrastructure must be carefully weighed before lifting evacuation orders, according to Cal Fire Public Information Officer Rigoberto Herrera.
“Ultimately it comes down to fire, electricity, water and roads,” Herrera said.
Rebuilding plan in the works
Also Tuesday, county supervisors unanimously voted to direct the county’s planning, public works and environmental health departments to jointly develop a plan to help homeowners rebuild by Sept. 15. As part of that plan, county staff is directed to streamline rebuilding as “much as legally possible.”
Specific direction includes allowing homeowners to live in temporary housing on their own — or a neighbors’ — property while they rebuild, capping permitting fees, waiving landfill fees for debris removal, and creating an online portal for information and necessary forms.
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Living with air pollution, especially from wildfires or agriculture, raises risk of dementia, US study finds Crashes and Disasters | Cadaver dogs are in Maui to help find the dead. Here’s how it works and why it’s difficult The scaffold for the plan was introduced by supervisors Coonerty and Bruce McPherson, who together represent the county’s fire-stricken regions.
Supervisors also voted to affirm a fire-related health emergency declared days earlier by the county’s health officer, Dr. Gail Newel.
Calling damage to the county “staggering,” McPherson said his office is receiving dozens of calls each day from residents anxious to return to their properties. He assured residents that local officials are committed to doing everything they can to help them rebuild.
“We’re committed to rebuilding our community and being stronger and more resilient than ever before,” McPherson said.


mercurynews--2020-09-02--Santa Cruz man accused of setting fire to home, occupants inside

LIVE OAK — A Santa Cruz man is facing charges of attempted murder and arson after allegedly setting fire to an occupied residence on his 45th birthday .
Ryan Lee Brand is scheduled for a court arraignment Wednesday morning on the felony charges , including eligibility for a “ second strike ” on his record , due to a past felony conviction .
Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office deputies responded to a report of a structure fire around 5:30 p.m. Saturday at a home near the intersection of 25th Avenue and East Cliff Drive , department spokeswoman Ashley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , the home was pretty much fully engulfed , ” Keehn said .
“ Thankfully , everyone was able to get out safe.
” • Crews again gain ground in effort to contain historic Bay Area wildfires • A year after deadly California boat fire , families sail out to honor those lost • Map : 7 big fires in California , and how they might ruin your Labor Day plans • Dolan Fire evacuation map : New zone added to orders for Big Sur wildfire Brand was named as a suspected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye-witness interviews and further investigation , Keehn said .
She described Brand as “ an acquaintance ” of the family inside the burned home .
“ The motive is still under investigation , ” Keehn said .
Brand is being held in lieu of $ 750,000 bail at the Santa Cruz County Jail and is scheduled to appear before Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday .

LIVE OAK — A Santa Cruz man is facing charges of attempted murder and arson after allegedly setting fire to an occupied residence on his 45th birthday.
Ryan Lee Brand is scheduled for a court arraignment Wednesday morning on the felony charges, including eligibility for a “second strike” on his record, due to a past felony conviction.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a structure fire around 5:30 p.m. Saturday at a home near the intersection of 25th Avenue and East Cliff Drive, department spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said.
“When they got there, the home was pretty much fully engulfed,” Keehn said. “Thankfully, everyone was able to get out safe.” Related Articles Crashes and Disasters | President Joe Biden and first lady plan to visit Maui next week. Follow live updates
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Brand was named as a suspected arsonist in the fire after deputies conducted eye-witness interviews and further investigation, Keehn said. She described Brand as “an acquaintance” of the family inside the burned home.
“The motive is still under investigation,” Keehn said.
Brand is being held in lieu of $750,000 bail at the Santa Cruz County Jail and is scheduled to appear before Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.


mercurynews--2020-09-02--Renters vs. landlords vs. banks: Who won California’s eviction compromise?

California renters financially hurt by the pandemic will be protected from eviction until at least next February , while small landlords will be offered some foreclosure protections , under a measure approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov .
Gavin Newsom late Monday night .
The deal was passed by supermajorities in both state legislative chambers , with both Democrats and a handful of Republican lawmakers supporting the bill while pleading for additional federal intervention .
A two-thirds vote of lawmakers was necessary for it to become law immediately upon being signed by the governor .
A pause on California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state Judicial Council , was set to expire Sept. 2 .
“ California is stepping up to protect those most at-risk because of COVID-related nonpayment , but it ’ s just a bridge to a more permanent solution once the federal government recognizes its role in stabilizing the housing market , ” Newsom said in a statement .
The emergency measure , which Newsom and other backers have framed as a stopgap to buy time until the federal government steps in with more direct financial assistance , is the product of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests , and bankers over who will be left bearing the financial brunt of missed rent payments precipitated by the pandemic .
Nearly one million Californian renter households have had a member suffer a job loss since the pandemic struck according to a recent UC Berkeley analysis , leading to worries of a possible “ tidal wave ” of evictions .
But while tenants , landlord and banking groups all urged lawmakers to approve the bill , the compromise ’ s specifics have left some parties severely disappointed .
Several prominent tenant groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive order to stop evictions for renters not financially impacted by the virus — evictions that could begin Wednesday .
Here ’ s how tenants , landlords and bankers made out in the deal .
What ’ s in it : Renters can ’ t be evicted for payments they missed from March , when the pandemic first struck , through Aug. 31 .
From September through Jan. 31 , if renters come up with 25 % of the rent they owe , they will also be protected from eviction .
Renters can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before Jan. 31 .
Starting Feb. 1 , eviction rules go back to normal .
Miss your Feb. 1 rent ?
You can be evicted , even if you got laid off because of COVID-19 .
Unable to come up with that 25 % of missed rent between September and January ?
You can also be evicted .
How can renters prove they ’ ve been financially impacted by COVID-19 ?
For renters below 130 % of area median income , they have to fill out legal paperwork under penalty of perjury that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in earnings or increased expenditures because of the virus .
That paperwork must be provided by landlords when they serve initial eviction papers to renters , and renters have 15 days to fill it out .
No actual documentation of the decreased income or increased spending is required .
Renters making above 130 % AMI will need to provide some documentation for their financial hardship .
Statewide median household income is around $ 87,000 .
Any evictions that occurred between March 2020 and February 2021 will not be made public , to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Any rental debt accrued because COVID-related financial hardship won ’ t show up on tenants ’ credit reports .
What ’ s not : Tenant groups really don ’ t have a ton of leverage in state politics .
They don ’ t donate much to campaigns , and perhaps more importantly , renters simply don ’ t vote as reliably as homeowners do .
Despite renters comprising roughly 40 % of the state , pro-tenant bills have had a tough time getting through the Legislature .
Tenant groups are most upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus will be allowed to resume in the next few days .
They worry landlords will use any lease violation — people living in the apartment not on a lease , or creating a nuisance for neighbors — as a pretext to get rid of tenants who have fallen behind on their rent .
In court , the burden will be on tenants to prove landlords are using these lease violations in bad faith .
The vast majority of tenants in eviction courts do not have legal representation .
“ ( This bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time it is not nearly enough , ” said Anya Lawler , who advocated for the bill on behalf of the Western Center on Law and Poverty .
“ This is not a complete solution to the looming eviction crisis , nor is it a long term solution to the very real financial impact the pandemic has had on tenants , small landlords , and affordable housing providers.
” Rent forgiveness or cancellation is also missing in the bill , and tenants don ’ t have much time to pay back what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not be used as the basis for evictions in February , renters will have to pay back everything they owe by March , 2021 .
That ’ s when landlords can begin pursuing missed rent payments in small claims court .
One earlier legislative proposal gave renters until 2024 to pay back rent , and forgave debts for lower-income renters .
The law could produce an awkward circumstance for tenants who meet the bare minimum of rent payments to keep a roof over their head , but can ’ t make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is possible that a renter owing thousands of dollars to their landlord could legally stay in their unit while being sued by their landlord for missed rents .
What ’ s in it : Landlord groups pushed back hard against prohibiting evictions unrelated to virus-induced financial hardship .
They cite cases in which , under the current eviction moratorium , landlords could not remove renters who they claimed were damaging property or causing a nuisance to neighbors .
Small landlords who own between one to four units will receive some additional foreclosure protections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California Homeowner Bill of Rights , ” passed in the wake of the late 2000 ’ s foreclosure crisis , to small , non-corporate landlords who own up to 4 units .
Those “ rights ” include specific guidelines mortgage servicers must obey in notifying and communicating with borrowers , as well as a prohibition against “ dual track ” foreclosures where lenders are allowed to pursue foreclosures while simultaneously negotiating loan modifications .
What ’ s not : The California Apartment Association , which supports the compromise , is one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and donates heavily to Democratic and Republican candidates .
The looming expiration of the court system ’ s moratorium on eviction cases also gave landlords considerable political leverage — if the state did nothing , evictions could resume and landlords could kick out non-paying tenants .
Trying to get a controversial eviction bill through the Legislature without buy-in from landlords and other real estate interest would be fraught with uncertainty .
But the political power landlords wield still couldn ’ t deliver what they say would make this problem much easier to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an intuitive solution to preventing the eviction crisis : Have the state or federal government pay landlords for missed rent , so they can meet their mortgage bills and other obligations .
Unfortunately for both landlords and tenants , the state has been hamstrung but a recently patched $ 54 billion budget deficit .
There ’ s not much money to go around , and a second stimulus round from Congress that would provide states with more resources has not yet materialized .
A proposal backed by Senate leader Toni Atkins , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work around the state ’ s depleted coffers by offering sellable tax credits to landlords for the amount of rent they missed .
Landlords tentatively supported the proposal , but no such compensation was included in the final bill .
Without money coming from the state , small landlords may wonder how they expect to meet their mortgage payments if they can ’ t evict renters and re-rent apartments until next year .
An earlier proposal embraced by tenants , from Assemblymember David Chiu , a Democrat from San Francisco , would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to struggling small landlords .
Those provisions also weren ’ t included in the final bill ( more on that below ) .
What ’ s in it : As previously mentioned , some additional requirements when lenders are preparing to foreclose on a property .
The bill also would force lenders to provide an explanation as to why they denied a forbearance request .
“ What we wanted to make sure we could do was come to a compromise with all stakeholders that were involved in this process and get a measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for borrowers and tenants struggling at this time , ” said Beth Mills , spokesperson for the California Bankers Association .
What ’ s not : Banks and credit unions are also a powerful force in the Capitol .
But their leverage on the eviction issue in particular was amplified by the constitutional limits of state law , and the threat of legal action .
• New eviction protections come with a wish — federal funds • California eviction protections signed into law , but please few • How much apartment will $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• “ We ’ re charging you : ” San Jose tenants ask big developers to pay for housing Both landlord and banking groups were skeptical that any type of compulsory mortgage forbearance would survive legal challenge .
Both the state and federal constitutions have “ contract clauses ” that limit government interference with private contracts like mortgages .
California is also preempted from regulating certain banking activities in the federal government ’ s purview .
Banking groups argued that any state incursion along the lines of mandatory mortgage forbearance for distressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some lawmakers voiced frustration that banking groups did not offer more in the spirit of compromise , considering the concessions made by tenants and landlords .
“ The banks and the mortgage holders are not doing a thing , ” said Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson , Democrat from Santa Barbara .
“ And I can ’ t tell you how disappointed I am that they have not been willing to step up.
” Mills , the California Bankers Association spokesperson , declined to say whether the banking industry would have sued to overturn @ @ @ @ @

California renters financially hurt by the pandemic will be protected from eviction until at least next February, while small landlords will be offered some foreclosure protections, under a measure approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom late Monday night.
The deal was passed by supermajorities in both state legislative chambers, with both Democrats and a handful of Republican lawmakers supporting the bill while pleading for additional federal intervention.
A two-thirds vote of lawmakers was necessary for it to become law immediately upon being signed by the governor. A pause on California eviction court proceedings, put in place by the state Judicial Council, was set to expire Sept. 2.
“California is stepping up to protect those most at-risk because of COVID-related nonpayment, but it’s just a bridge to a more permanent solution once the federal government recognizes its role in stabilizing the housing market,” Newsom said in a statement.
The emergency measure, which Newsom and other backers have framed as a stopgap to buy time until the federal government steps in with more direct financial assistance, is the product of contentious negotiations between tenant groups, landlord interests, and bankers over who will be left bearing the financial brunt of missed rent payments precipitated by the pandemic. Nearly one million Californian renter households have had a member suffer a job loss since the pandemic struck according to a recent UC Berkeley analysis, leading to worries of a possible “tidal wave” of evictions.
But while tenants, landlord and banking groups all urged lawmakers to approve the bill, the compromise’s specifics have left some parties severely disappointed. Several prominent tenant groups are already demanding Newsom issue a new executive order to stop evictions for renters not financially impacted by the virus — evictions that could begin Wednesday.
Here’s how tenants, landlords and bankers made out in the deal.
Tenants
What’s in it: Renters can’t be evicted for payments they missed from March, when the pandemic first struck, through Aug. 31. From September through Jan. 31, if renters come up with 25% of the rent they owe, they will also be protected from eviction. Renters can pay that 25% at any time before Jan. 31.
Starting Feb. 1, eviction rules go back to normal. Miss your Feb. 1 rent? You can be evicted, even if you got laid off because of COVID-19. Unable to come up with that 25% of missed rent between September and January? You can also be evicted.
How can renters prove they’ve been financially impacted by COVID-19? For renters below 130% of area median income, they have to fill out legal paperwork under penalty of perjury that says they’ve suffered a decline in earnings or increased expenditures because of the virus. That paperwork must be provided by landlords when they serve initial eviction papers to renters, and renters have 15 days to fill it out.
No actual documentation of the decreased income or increased spending is required. Renters making above 130% AMI will need to provide some documentation for their financial hardship. Statewide median household income is around $87,000.
Any evictions that occurred between March 2020 and February 2021 will not be made public, to protect renters’ ability to find new homes. Any rental debt accrued because COVID-related financial hardship won’t show up on tenants’ credit reports.
What’s not: Tenant groups really don’t have a ton of leverage in state politics. They don’t donate much to campaigns, and perhaps more importantly, renters simply don’t vote as reliably as homeowners do. Despite renters comprising roughly 40% of the state, pro-tenant bills have had a tough time getting through the Legislature.
Tenant groups are most upset that evictions unrelated to financial hardship from coronavirus will be allowed to resume in the next few days. They worry landlords will use any lease violation — people living in the apartment not on a lease, or creating a nuisance for neighbors — as a pretext to get rid of tenants who have fallen behind on their rent. In court, the burden will be on tenants to prove landlords are using these lease violations in bad faith. The vast majority of tenants in eviction courts do not have legal representation.
“(This bill) needs to pass. At the same time it is not nearly enough,” said Anya Lawler, who advocated for the bill on behalf of the Western Center on Law and Poverty. “This is not a complete solution to the looming eviction crisis, nor is it a long term solution to the very real financial impact the pandemic has had on tenants, small landlords, and affordable housing providers.”
Rent forgiveness or cancellation is also missing in the bill, and tenants don’t have much time to pay back what they owe. While some missed rent may not be used as the basis for evictions in February, renters will have to pay back everything they owe by March, 2021. That’s when landlords can begin pursuing missed rent payments in small claims court. One earlier legislative proposal gave renters until 2024 to pay back rent, and forgave debts for lower-income renters.
The law could produce an awkward circumstance for tenants who meet the bare minimum of rent payments to keep a roof over their head, but can’t make the rest of their required payments. It is possible that a renter owing thousands of dollars to their landlord could legally stay in their unit while being sued by their landlord for missed rents.
Landlords
What’s in it: Landlord groups pushed back hard against prohibiting evictions unrelated to virus-induced financial hardship. They cite cases in which, under the current eviction moratorium, landlords could not remove renters who they claimed were damaging property or causing a nuisance to neighbors.
Small landlords who own between one to four units will receive some additional foreclosure protections. The proposal extends the 2013 “California Homeowner Bill of Rights,” passed in the wake of the late 2000’s foreclosure crisis, to small, non-corporate landlords who own up to 4 units. Those “rights” include specific guidelines mortgage servicers must obey in notifying and communicating with borrowers, as well as a prohibition against “dual track” foreclosures where lenders are allowed to pursue foreclosures while simultaneously negotiating loan modifications.
What’s not: The California Apartment Association, which supports the compromise, is one of the more powerful interest groups in the Capitol, and donates heavily to Democratic and Republican candidates. The looming expiration of the court system’s moratorium on eviction cases also gave landlords considerable political leverage — if the state did nothing, evictions could resume and landlords could kick out non-paying tenants. Trying to get a controversial eviction bill through the Legislature without buy-in from landlords and other real estate interest would be fraught with uncertainty.
But the political power landlords wield still couldn’t deliver what they say would make this problem much easier to solve: Money.
There’s an intuitive solution to preventing the eviction crisis: Have the state or federal government pay landlords for missed rent, so they can meet their mortgage bills and other obligations. Unfortunately for both landlords and tenants, the state has been hamstrung but a recently patched $54 billion budget deficit. There’s not much money to go around, and a second stimulus round from Congress that would provide states with more resources has not yet materialized.
A proposal backed by Senate leader Toni Atkins, a Democrat from San Diego, tried to work around the state’s depleted coffers by offering sellable tax credits to landlords for the amount of rent they missed. Landlords tentatively supported the proposal, but no such compensation was included in the final bill.
Without money coming from the state, small landlords may wonder how they expect to meet their mortgage payments if they can’t evict renters and re-rent apartments until next year. An earlier proposal embraced by tenants, from Assemblymember David Chiu, a Democrat from San Francisco, would have forced banks to offer mortgage forbearance options to struggling small landlords. Those provisions also weren’t included in the final bill (more on that below).
Banks
What’s in it: As previously mentioned, some additional requirements when lenders are preparing to foreclose on a property. The bill also would force lenders to provide an explanation as to why they denied a forbearance request.
“What we wanted to make sure we could do was come to a compromise with all stakeholders that were involved in this process and get a measure through that actually will provide significant relief for borrowers and tenants struggling at this time,” said Beth Mills, spokesperson for the California Bankers Association.
What’s not: Banks and credit unions are also a powerful force in the Capitol. But their leverage on the eviction issue in particular was amplified by the constitutional limits of state law, and the threat of legal action.
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Only 16% of Californians can afford to buy home as mortgage rates rise Real Estate | Senior East Bay tenants’ battle: Cockroaches, water leaks, maintenance problems Both landlord and banking groups were skeptical that any type of compulsory mortgage forbearance would survive legal challenge. Both the state and federal constitutions have “contract clauses” that limit government interference with private contracts like mortgages.
California is also preempted from regulating certain banking activities in the federal government’s purview. Banking groups argued that any state incursion along the lines of mandatory mortgage forbearance for distressed small landlords could be dismantled in court.
Some lawmakers voiced frustration that banking groups did not offer more in the spirit of compromise, considering the concessions made by tenants and landlords.
“The banks and the mortgage holders are not doing a thing,” said Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, Democrat from Santa Barbara. “And I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that they have not been willing to step up.”
Mills, the California Bankers Association spokesperson, declined to say whether the banking industry would have sued to overturn compulsory mortgage forbearance provisions.


mercurynews--2020-09-02--Coronavirus tracker: 140 new deaths in California on Sept. 1

According to the California COVID-19 statewide update between Sunday and Monday , there were 29 fewer hospitalizations due to confirmed COVID-19 and 29 fewer cases in intensive care units .
The number of COVID-19 diagnostic test results in California reached a total of 11,470,696 , an increase of 97,391 tests since Sunday .
The rate of positive tests over the last 14 days is 5.3 percent .
According to SCNG research of all California county health dashboards there were approximately 5,496 new confirmed cases Tuesday .
Numbers do not represent true day-over-day change as these results include cases from prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths is 13,123 , an increase of 140 from Monday .
Of the 140 new deaths reported Tuesday , 45 were in Los Angeles County , 27 in Fresno County and 20 in San Bernardino County .
All data on the state tracker is preliminary and subject to change .
The following counties are no longer on the County Monitoring List : Sources : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Johns Hopkins University , the World Health Organization , the California Department of Public Health , The Associated Press , reporting counties @ @ @

According to the California COVID-19 statewide update between Sunday and Monday, there were 29 fewer hospitalizations due to confirmed COVID-19 and 29 fewer cases in intensive care units.
The number of COVID-19 diagnostic test results in California reached a total of 11,470,696, an increase of 97,391 tests since Sunday. The rate of positive tests over the last 14 days is 5.3 percent.
According to SCNG research of all California county health dashboards there were approximately 5,496 new confirmed cases Tuesday. Numbers do not represent true day-over-day change as these results include cases from prior to yesterday. The total number of deaths is 13,123, an increase of 140 from Monday.
Of the 140 new deaths reported Tuesday, 45 were in Los Angeles County, 27 in Fresno County and 20 in San Bernardino County.
All data on the state tracker is preliminary and subject to change.
The following counties are no longer on the County Monitoring List:
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins University, the World Health Organization, the California Department of Public Health, The Associated Press, reporting counties and news sources


mercurynews--2020-09-02--University of California must stop all use of SAT and ACT in admissions, judge orders

University of California must suspend all use of SAT and ACT scores in admissions , a judge ruled , siding with attorneys representing students with disabilities who argued those students have not been able to access the tests during the coronavirus pandemic .
The ruling affects six of UC ’ s nine undergraduate campuses that have gone test-optional , giving students the choice of whether to submit their test scores when they apply .
“ There ’ s never been such a thing as a level playing field to admissions for our most underrepresented students , but this ruling at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Mark Rosenbaum , a director of the public interest law firm Public Counsel , which is one of the firms representing plaintiffs in the lawsuit .
In May , the system ’ s Board of Regents voted to stop requiring the exams in admissions but allowed campuses to give applicants the option of submitting test scores through fall 2022 .
Three campuses – Berkeley , Irvine and Santa Cruz – decided not to accept test scores at all , while Davis , Los Angeles , Merced , Riverside , San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option to submit them .
In a statement , the UC system said it “ respectfully disagrees ” with Tuesday ’ s ruling and is “ evaluating whether further legal actions are called for.
” UC added that each campus “ carefully assessed ” whether to use SAT and ACT scores for fall 2021 and fall 2022 .
“ University admissions officials and faculty are best positioned to determine appropriate admissions decisions and procedures , taking into account the individual needs and priorities of a particular campus , ” UC said in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Board of Regents and the systemwide president ’ s office .
In a lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court , the plaintiffs argued that because of the COVID-19 pandemic , which has disrupted testing locations , many students with disabilities were not able to access suitable testing sites .
The judge , Brad Seligman , agreed and wrote that while COVID-19 has “ disrupted the testing process for many students , ” the barriers facing students with disabilities “ are indisputably significantly greater ” than those facing non-disabled students .
Seligman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UC campuses from using SAT or ACT test results while the lawsuit is ongoing .
He scheduled the next court date for Sept. 29 .
“ Plaintiffs have shown that they are denied meaningful access to the additional ‘ benefit , aid or service ’ that the test option affords .
Unlike their non-disabled peers , they do not have the option to submit test scores ; even if they did , their chances of obtaining necessary test accommodations are virtually non-existent , ” Seligman wrote .
The ruling does not directly impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , California State University , which decided to go test-optional for the 2021-22 academic year .
Attorneys for the plaintiffs praised Seligman ’ s ruling .
The decision “ correctly recognized that what the Regents had done was set up a test-optional scheme for students without disabilities , ” said Rosenbaum .
• East Bay community college district to go online-only for entire school year • Coronavirus : Chico State moves classes online , tells students to go home amid spike in cases on campus One student and plaintiff in the lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” has learning disabilities and decided to take a gap year rather than apply to UC campuses .
According to the lawsuit , he has faced “ formidable barriers to taking the SAT , and has been unable to do so.
” If he had been able to take the SAT , or if UC campuses did not accept any test scores , he would have applied , the lawsuit states .
“ We are so proud of the courage the student plaintiffs showed by taking on the biggest university system and testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graber , an attorney with the law firm Brown Goldstein & Levy , said in a statement .
“ We hope the light they and the court have shined on the barriers students with disabilities face will help guide a movement toward inclusive and equitable access to higher education .
”

By Michael Burke, EdSource
University of California must suspend all use of SAT and ACT scores in admissions, a judge ruled, siding with attorneys representing students with disabilities who argued those students have not been able to access the tests during the coronavirus pandemic.
The ruling affects six of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses that have gone test-optional, giving students the choice of whether to submit their test scores when they apply.
“There’s never been such a thing as a level playing field to admissions for our most underrepresented students, but this ruling at least evened that field a significant bit,” said Mark Rosenbaum, a director of the public interest law firm Public Counsel, which is one of the firms representing plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
In May, the system’s Board of Regents voted to stop requiring the exams in admissions but allowed campuses to give applicants the option of submitting test scores through fall 2022. Three campuses – Berkeley, Irvine and Santa Cruz – decided not to accept test scores at all, while Davis, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego and Santa Barbara gave students the option to submit them.
In a statement, the UC system said it “respectfully disagrees” with Tuesday’s ruling and is “evaluating whether further legal actions are called for.” UC added that each campus “carefully assessed” whether to use SAT and ACT scores for fall 2021 and fall 2022.
“University admissions officials and faculty are best positioned to determine appropriate admissions decisions and procedures, taking into account the individual needs and priorities of a particular campus,” UC said in the statement, which was attributed both to the Board of Regents and the systemwide president’s office.
In a lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the plaintiffs argued that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted testing locations, many students with disabilities were not able to access suitable testing sites.
The judge, Brad Seligman, agreed and wrote that while COVID-19 has “disrupted the testing process for many students,” the barriers facing students with disabilities “are indisputably significantly greater” than those facing non-disabled students.
Seligman issued a preliminary injunction that prevents the UC campuses from using SAT or ACT test results while the lawsuit is ongoing. He scheduled the next court date for Sept. 29.
“Plaintiffs have shown that they are denied meaningful access to the additional ‘benefit, aid or service’ that the test option affords. Unlike their non-disabled peers, they do not have the option to submit test scores; even if they did, their chances of obtaining necessary test accommodations are virtually non-existent,” Seligman wrote.
The ruling does not directly impact the state’s other four-year university system, California State University, which decided to go test-optional for the 2021-22 academic year.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs praised Seligman’s ruling. The decision “correctly recognized that what the Regents had done was set up a test-optional scheme for students without disabilities,” said Rosenbaum.
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“We are so proud of the courage the student plaintiffs showed by taking on the biggest university system and testing organizations in the country,” Abigail Graber, an attorney with the law firm Brown Goldstein & Levy, said in a statement. “We hope the light they and the court have shined on the barriers students with disabilities face will help guide a movement toward inclusive and equitable access to higher education.”


mercurynews--2020-09-02--Orange County Democratic party leader under fire for post praising Ho Chi Minh

A vice chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County might be forced to step down after he shared a Facebook post praising Ho Chi Minh , the late communist leader of Vietnam , for having “ liberated an entire poor , colonized nation.
” Some high-profile Republican and Democratic leaders are calling for Jeff LeTourneau to either resign or be removed from his position in the wake of his comments .
LeTourneau quickly removed the Facebook post and issued an apology .
But he told the Register on Tuesday that he doesn ’ t plan to step down as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people want me to resign , ” the Brea resident said .
“ But I ’ ve been fighting for social justice and LGBTQ rights for 40 years .
And as a matter of principle , this is not how the Democratic Party should react to unpopular political opinions.
” Late Tuesday , leaders of the Democratic Party of Orange County said they intend to call for LeTourneau ’ s removal .
“ It is with a heavy heart that I am calling a special meeting of the Executive Committee to discuss further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the DPOC , said in a statement .
The controversy started Sunday when LeTourneau shared a post originally written by Mesbah Islam , who in 2016 had an unsuccessful bid for a south county state Assembly seat .
The post discussed how Minh was a political force even though he was small in stature , never married or had kids .
“ Ho Chi Minh may be considered some sort of pariah or socially awkward .
Instead , Ho Chi Minh liberated an entire poor , colonized nation from 2 of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world ( the US and France ) and won full independence for the people of Vietnam.
” LeTourneau said he ’ s aware of the history of military conflict in Vietnam , and of Minh ’ s role in that war .
But LeTourneau said he believed the message in Islam ’ s post was that someone who doesn ’ t have money or social standing can still affect change .
LeTourneau added that he shared the post without thinking too much about it .
But for many local Vietnamese Americans , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same category with Stalin or Hitler , with his regime responsible for murdering , starving and imprisoning South Vietnamese people in concentration camps .
More than 2 million people were displaced , including thousands of Vietnamese refugees who settled in Orange County .
Within an hour of sharing the post , LeTourneau said , he began to hear from people who objected to it .
He took it down 90 minutes later and issued an apology late Monday night , saying he recognized the message had “ opened deep wounds.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vietnamese community about the power and trauma of the words that such statements cause , ” LeTourneau said in the apology .
“ These memories of atrocities and pain come fresh to mind , and I want to let the Vietnamese community that I ’ m not insensitive to their pain.
” But hours earlier , Republican politicians had already started sharing screenshots of the post and using it as a political hammer against their Democratic challengers .
Former state senator Janet Nguyen , a Vietnamese American Republican who ’ s running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement calling on her Democratic opponent in the race , Diedre Nguyen , who ’ s also Vietnamese American , to denounce LeTourneau ’ s comments and reject the party ’ s endorsement and money .
“ My father fought against Ho Chi Minh ’ s communist forces and my uncle was murdered by Ho Chi Minh ’ s violent thugs , ” Janet Nguyen wrote .
“ Many Vietnamese Americans have direct relatives who gave their lives fighting for freedom against Ho Chi Minh .
For a leader of the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ’ s military as imperialist is both highly offensive and historically wrong.
” Michelle Steel — a county supervisor challenging Rep. Harley Rouda in the 48th District , which is 10 % Vietnamese American — issued her own statement Monday night calling the post “ repugnant.
” And she reminded voters that Rouda attended “ Mekong Delta ” themed fraternity parties when he was in college 40 years ago .
Rouda led four of Orange County ’ s seven congress members and one state senator in signing a letter Monday calling for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the party .
“ Mr .
LeTourneau ’ s glorification of Ho Chi Minh spits in the face of the freedom , prosperity , and safety that so many Vietnamese Americans fought and died for , and the deaths of 58,000 American soldiers who laid down their lives to defend the freedom of the Vietnamese people , ” states the letter from Reps. Rouda , D-Laguna Beach ; Gil Cisneros , D-Yorba Linda ; Lou Correa , D-Anaheim ; and Alan Lowenthal , D-Long Beach plus State Sen. Tom Umberg , D-Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the author of so many crimes against Orange County ’ s Vietnamese community and our brave service members must be purged from our party , from our politics , and from our county.
” Rouda , Correa , Diedre Nguyen and Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Nguyen also scheduled held a joint press conference about LeTourneau ’ s post on Tuesday afternoon in Westminster .
LeTourneau said he understands why some politicians have to distance themselves from the pro-Minh comments .
But he said he ’ s apologized and promised to learn from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t see any grounds in the DPOC bylaws to remove him from his role as vice chair of north Orange County , co-chair of the Resolutions Committee or a Central Committee member .
The DPOC said in a statement that many party leaders felt LeTourneau ’ s apology was inadequate and still planned to take action to remove him from office .
In May , a social media post led the organization to remove Victor Valladares from his role as vice chair .
In that post , Valladares cursed the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden as its presidential candidate over Bernie Sanders .
Valladares tried to fight the party ’ s decision to remove him , with LeTourneau defending him , but last month the state party let the county party ’ s decision stand .

A vice chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County might be forced to step down after he shared a Facebook post praising Ho Chi Minh, the late communist leader of Vietnam, for having “liberated an entire poor, colonized nation.”
Some high-profile Republican and Democratic leaders are calling for Jeff LeTourneau to either resign or be removed from his position in the wake of his comments.
LeTourneau quickly removed the Facebook post and issued an apology. But he told the Register on Tuesday that he doesn’t plan to step down as a party leader.
“I know people want me to resign,” the Brea resident said. “But I’ve been fighting for social justice and LGBTQ rights for 40 years. And as a matter of principle, this is not how the Democratic Party should react to unpopular political opinions.”
Late Tuesday, leaders of the Democratic Party of Orange County said they intend to call for LeTourneau’s removal.
“It is with a heavy heart that I am calling a special meeting of the Executive Committee to discuss further action,” Ada Briceño, chair of the DPOC, said in a statement.
The controversy started Sunday when LeTourneau shared a post originally written by Mesbah Islam, who in 2016 had an unsuccessful bid for a south county state Assembly seat.
The post discussed how Minh was a political force even though he was small in stature, never married or had kids. “Ho Chi Minh may be considered some sort of pariah or socially awkward. Instead, Ho Chi Minh liberated an entire poor, colonized nation from 2 of the most powerful imperial military forces in the world (the US and France) and won full independence for the people of Vietnam.”
LeTourneau said he’s aware of the history of military conflict in Vietnam, and of Minh’s role in that war. But LeTourneau said he believed the message in Islam’s post was that someone who doesn’t have money or social standing can still affect change. LeTourneau added that he shared the post without thinking too much about it.
But for many local Vietnamese Americans, the DPOC said, Minh is considered in the same category with Stalin or Hitler, with his regime responsible for murdering, starving and imprisoning South Vietnamese people in concentration camps. More than 2 million people were displaced, including thousands of Vietnamese refugees who settled in Orange County.
Within an hour of sharing the post, LeTourneau said, he began to hear from people who objected to it. He took it down 90 minutes later and issued an apology late Monday night, saying he recognized the message had “opened deep wounds.”
“I spoke with several members of the Vietnamese community about the power and trauma of the words that such statements cause,” LeTourneau said in the apology. “These memories of atrocities and pain come fresh to mind, and I want to let the Vietnamese community that I’m not insensitive to their pain.”
But hours earlier, Republican politicians had already started sharing screenshots of the post and using it as a political hammer against their Democratic challengers.
Former state senator Janet Nguyen, a Vietnamese American Republican who’s running for the 72nd Assembly District seat, issued a statement calling on her Democratic opponent in the race, Diedre Nguyen, who’s also Vietnamese American, to denounce LeTourneau’s comments and reject the party’s endorsement and money.
“My father fought against Ho Chi Minh’s communist forces and my uncle was murdered by Ho Chi Minh’s violent thugs,” Janet Nguyen wrote. “Many Vietnamese Americans have direct relatives who gave their lives fighting for freedom against Ho Chi Minh. For a leader of the Democratic Party to praise communist Ho and label America’s military as imperialist is both highly offensive and historically wrong.”
Michelle Steel — a county supervisor challenging Rep. Harley Rouda in the 48th District, which is 10% Vietnamese American — issued her own statement Monday night calling the post “repugnant.” And she reminded voters that Rouda attended “Mekong Delta” themed fraternity parties when he was in college 40 years ago.
Rouda led four of Orange County’s seven congress members and one state senator in signing a letter Monday calling for LeTourneau to resign or be immediately removed from the party.
“Mr. LeTourneau’s glorification of Ho Chi Minh spits in the face of the freedom, prosperity, and safety that so many Vietnamese Americans fought and died for, and the deaths of 58,000 American soldiers who laid down their lives to defend the freedom of the Vietnamese people,” states the letter from Reps. Rouda, D-Laguna Beach; Gil Cisneros, D-Yorba Linda; Lou Correa, D-Anaheim; and Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach plus State Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana.
“Any support or praise for the author of so many crimes against Orange County’s Vietnamese community and our brave service members must be purged from our party, from our politics, and from our county.”
Rouda, Correa, Diedre Nguyen and Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Nguyen also scheduled held a joint press conference about LeTourneau’s post on Tuesday afternoon in Westminster.
LeTourneau said he understands why some politicians have to distance themselves from the pro-Minh comments. But he said he’s apologized and promised to learn from his mistake. And he said he doesn’t see any grounds in the DPOC bylaws to remove him from his role as vice chair of north Orange County, co-chair of the Resolutions Committee or a Central Committee member.
The DPOC said in a statement that many party leaders felt LeTourneau’s apology was inadequate and still planned to take action to remove him from office.
In May, a social media post led the organization to remove Victor Valladares from his role as vice chair.
In that post, Valladares cursed the Democratic Party over its decision to choose Joe Biden as its presidential candidate over Bernie Sanders. Valladares tried to fight the party’s decision to remove him, with LeTourneau defending him, but last month the state party let the county party’s decision stand.