courthousenews--2020-08-21--Judge Blocks Indiana From Removing People From Voter Rolls

INDIANAPOLIS ( CN ) — A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Indiana may not enforce portions of a voting law that would allow the state to remove individuals from the eligible voters list without first trying to contact them .
In her 26-page ruling , U.S. District Judge Tanya Pratt found that the voting law known as “ Senate Enrolled Act 334 , ” an amendment to a previous law , violates the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 because it allows the removal of voters from the rolls without direct contact and before a required waiting period .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on behalf of the Indiana State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the League of Women Voters of Indiana .
The ruling was praised by one of the plaintiff ’ s attorneys , Eliza Sweren-Becker who serves as counsel in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center of Justice .
“ We are pleased by the ruling , ” Sweren-Becker told Courthouse News .
“ Because voters should not be removed from the rolls absent notification.
” The lawsuit claimed that original state law and the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed the removal of voters in a way that violates federal law because the voters in question are not contacted .
Proponents of Crosscheck claim that the system helps to uncover voter fraud by identifying people who are registered and vote in two states at the same time .
However , opponents of the program claim that the results are unreliable and that it is used to disenfranchise voters .
Pratt issued an initial injunction against the law in 2018 , and a later ruling from the Seventh Circuit upheld that initial injunction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that SEA 334 violates the NVRA by allowing cancellation of a voter ’ s registration without direct contact with the registered voter and without utilizing the notice-and-waiting procedures , ” Pratt wrote .
In her original injunction , Pratt laid out her criticism of the voter purge system .
“ If a voter is disenfranchised and purged erroneously , that voter has no recourse after Election Day .
While the Defendants have a strong public interest in protecting the integrity of voter registration rolls and the electoral process , they have other procedures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest that do not violate the NVRA , ” Pratt wrote .
The original law targeted by the lawsuit was amended on March 21 , 2020 by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb .
The amendment withdrew the state ’ s participation in Crosscheck but created a similar system under the state ’ s control .
Because the original state law and its participation in the Crosscheck program have been superseded by the SEA 334 , they argued that the plaintiffs would have to file a new lawsuit challenging the current law .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law ’ s similar effects , the matter was not moot and she could issue findings .
“ The gravamen of Plaintiffs ’ Complaint is that Indiana ’ s election law violates the NVRA by allowing cancellation of voter registrations without direct contact from the voter or , alternatively , providing notice to the voter and then waiting two election cycles before cancelling the voter registration .
This Court and the Seventh Circuit understood this to be the issue when granting and affirming injunctive relief , ” Pratt wrote .
The lawsuit ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Connie Lawson , and Co-Directors of the Indiana Election Division J. Bradley King and Angela Nussmeyer .

A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Indiana may not enforce portions of a voting law that would allow the state to remove individuals from the eligible voters list without first trying to contact them.
INDIANAPOLIS (CN) — A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Indiana may not enforce portions of a voting law that would allow the state to remove individuals from the eligible voters list without first trying to contact them.
In her 26-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Pratt found that the voting law known as “Senate Enrolled Act 334,” an amendment to a previous law, violates the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 because it allows the removal of voters from the rolls without direct contact and before a required waiting period.
The initial lawsuit was filed in 2017 on behalf of the Indiana State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the League of Women Voters of Indiana.
The ruling was praised by one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, Eliza Sweren-Becker who serves as counsel in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center of Justice.
“We are pleased by the ruling,” Sweren-Becker told Courthouse News. “Because voters should not be removed from the rolls absent notification.”
The lawsuit claimed that original state law and the use of a voting program known as Crosscheck allowed the removal of voters in a way that violates federal law because the voters in question are not contacted.
Proponents of Crosscheck claim that the system helps to uncover voter fraud by identifying people who are registered and vote in two states at the same time. However, opponents of the program claim that the results are unreliable and that it is used to disenfranchise voters.
Pratt issued an initial injunction against the law in 2018, and a later ruling from the Seventh Circuit upheld that initial injunction in 2019.
“The Court concludes that SEA 334 violates the NVRA by allowing cancellation of a voter's registration without direct contact with the registered voter and without utilizing the notice-and-waiting procedures,” Pratt wrote.
In her original injunction, Pratt laid out her criticism of the voter purge system.
“If a voter is disenfranchised and purged erroneously, that voter has no recourse after Election Day. While the Defendants have a strong public interest in protecting the integrity of voter registration rolls and the electoral process, they have other procedures in place that can protect that public interest that do not violate the NVRA,” Pratt wrote.
The original law targeted by the lawsuit was amended on March 21, 2020 by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. The amendment withdrew the state’s participation in Crosscheck but created a similar system under the state’s control.
Because the original state law and its participation in the Crosscheck program have been superseded by the SEA 334, they argued that the plaintiffs would have to file a new lawsuit challenging the current law.
However, Pratt found that because of the new law’s similar effects, the matter was not moot and she could issue findings.
“The gravamen of Plaintiffs' Complaint is that Indiana's election law violates the NVRA by allowing cancellation of voter registrations without direct contact from the voter or, alternatively, providing notice to the voter and then waiting two election cycles before cancelling the voter registration. This Court and the Seventh Circuit understood this to be the issue when granting and affirming injunctive relief,” Pratt wrote.
The lawsuit’s listed defendants are Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson, and Co-Directors of the Indiana Election Division J. Bradley King and Angela Nussmeyer.
“We're celebrating,” said Linda Hanson, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Indiana. “The League is obviously pleased that the Court agreed with us that SEA 334 violates the NVRA in the same way as SEA 442 because it permits removal of registered voters from the rolls without direct contact with the voter and without the Notice-and-Waiting period. The permanent injunction against implementation of SEA 334 is a victory for Hoosier voters.”


courthousenews--2020-08-21--Biden Accepts Presidential Nomination as Democrats Rally Behind Him

MILWAUKEE , Wis. ( CN ) — Seeking a path out of historic chaos and back to the promise of America , Democrats stressed the vitality of voting and threw their support behind former Vice President Joe Biden as he accepted the party ’ s presidential nomination at the close of their convention Thursday night .
Featuring light-hearted moderation from actor and television VP Julia Louis-Dreyfus , established and up-and-coming Democrats made their final case for Biden as the candidate with the character and empathetic spirit necessary to uplift a country under siege by the coronavirus , a massive economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injustice in the wake of the death of George Floyd .
After emotional video testimonials from his children and grandchildren , Biden , officially nominated by Democrats on Tuesday , accepted the nomination in a 20-minute speech that framed the Nov. 3 election as an opportunity to welcome back America ’ s better angels and turn away from the distress and division characterizing our national moment .
“ It is with great honor and humility that I accept this nomination for President of the United States of America , ” Biden said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly emphasized love , dignity , unity and hope as the quintessentially American virtues that will lead a suffering nation out of what he called “ a perfect storm ” of four historic crises : the coronavirus pandemic , the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression , the urgent demonstrations for racial justice and the looming existential threat of climate change .
“ United we can , and will , overcome this season of darkness in America , ” Biden said .
“ We will choose hope over fear , facts over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also summoned his longstanding reputation as a lawmaker savvy in the ways of compromise , saying that “ while I will be a Democratic candidate , I will be an American president ” because “ America isn ’ t just a collection of clashing interests of red states or blue states.
” The Democratic nominee advocated for finding a path of “ hope and light ” instead of one of “ shadow and suspicion , ” a call to action Donald Trump is unable or unwilling to answer as “ a president who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , blames others , cozies up to dictators and fans the flames of hate and division.
” Biden pledged that , once elected , he would develop and deploy rapid coronavirus testing with immediately available results as part of a plan he has been developing since March to subdue a pandemic with no end in sight because “ we ’ ll never have our lives back until we deal with this virus ” and “ no miracle is coming.
” Having lost a wife and daughter to a car accident and a son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those who lost loved ones to Covid-19 as someone literate in the agonies of grief .
“ First , know your loved ones may have left this Earth but they never leave your heart…and second , I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose , ” Biden said .
On a policy level , Biden spoke broadly about creating 5 million dignified , good-paying manufacturing jobs , rebuilding vital infrastructure , dealing with climate change as a job-generating opportunity to become a bastion of clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act signed into law by his friend and former boss Barack Obama .
After recounting the tragic events in Charlottesville of three years ago and his memories of speaking with George Floyd ’ s daughter Gianna on the day her father was buried , Biden once again called for love , unity and purpose .
“ May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heading into an election he and several other speakers over the course of Thursday night held up as the most consequential in American history .
Earlier in the evening , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , herself recently recovered from Covid-19 , urged people in Georgia and beyond to get engaged and make their voices heard in the uphill battle toward the country ’ s recovery , in particular by casting ballots and getting personally involved in the political process at a historic juncture .
Bottoms honored late Georgia Representative and civil rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example the transformative power of civic engagement in times of national turbulence .
“ People often think they can ’ t make a difference like our civil rights icons , but every person in the movement mattered—those who made the sandwiches , swept the church floors , stuffed the envelopes , ” Bottoms said .
“ They , too , changed America.
” In advance of a segue into a video tribute to Lewis , Bottoms reiterated the ballot box as an essential means to speak truth to power .
“ We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered in our streets to demand change , and now , we must pass on the gift John Lewis sacrificed to give us , we must register and we must vote , ” the mayor said .
New Mexico Representative Deb Halaand , a Pueblo Indian , offered lessons learned from her experiences and her family ’ s experiences struggling for basic democratic rights .
“ I stand here today , a proud 35th generation New Mexican and one of the first Native American women elected to Congress , ” a background she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s resilience before joining the night ’ s chorus of voices calling to get out the vote .
“ Voting is sacred .
My people know that , ” Halaand said , pointing out that Native Americans were not guaranteed the right to vote in every state until 1962 .
U.S .
Senator Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin also spoke to Biden ’ s ability to lead America with integrity and backbone toward the country it has always promised to become .
Baldwin portrayed that country as an inclusive one “ because most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools in our neighborhoods , racial justice , the freedom to love who we want , dignity in our work , and an economy where small businesses and working families thrive.
” The Badger State senator brought to mind working with Biden and Obama to pass the Affordable Care Act as a prominent example of the results achieved by collaborating toward the country ’ s fairer , more compassionate ideals .
“ That ’ s the America I know , ” she said .
“ That ’ s the America I love .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House.
” A reflective group video featuring multiple former challengers to Biden for the 2020 Democratic nomination — including former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg , Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders — endorsed Biden as an inherently good man with the reason and principles to lead the United States forward .
The former presidential hopefuls shared personal anecdotes where they bore witness to Biden ’ s ability to connect genuinely with the American people and build a workable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yang , founder of the nonprofit Humanity Forward , playfully remarked that “ the magic of Joe Biden is that everything he does becomes the new reasonable , ” saying his pick of California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate is an indication that Biden wants to “ build the best team.
” Sanders spoke to Biden ’ s suitability to heal the nation with his qualities of decency and empathy .
“ And at this particular moment in American history , my God , that is something that this country absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday night ’ s program , Fernando Guerra , a professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University , considered Biden ’ s speech middle-of-the-road but ultimately effective .
“ This will not go down as one of the all time greatest acceptance speeches , but this was the perfect speech , ” in that Biden spoke to his working class roots and came off as an approachable moderate Democrat while still paying lip service to the progressive left ’ s policy demands .
Mordecai Lee , a former representative in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee , called the nominee ’ s speech “ a grab bag of reassurances and promises ” but said it accomplished portraying Biden as not an agent of the far-left while still being decidedly liberal .
“ In terms of policy , he is presenting a policy agenda that is moderate left that Republicans aren ’ t scared by but Bernie bros aren ’ t unhappy about , ” Lee said .
The professor said the success of the speech ultimately boils down to its ability to build a coalition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time many people are meeting Joe Biden and that he came off as “ likeable and moderate.
” However , the success of Biden ’ s acceptance speech , and the success of the historic virtual convention as a whole , remains to be seen .
“ I think he hit the mark , but ask me the morning after the November election , ” Lee said .

Seeking a path out of historic chaos and back to the promise of America, Democrats stressed the vitality of voting and threw their support behind former Vice President Joe Biden as he accepted the party's presidential nomination at the close of their convention Thursday night.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CN) — Seeking a path out of historic chaos and back to the promise of America, Democrats stressed the vitality of voting and threw their support behind former Vice President Joe Biden as he accepted the party's presidential nomination at the close of their convention Thursday night.
Featuring light-hearted moderation from actor and television VP Julia Louis-Dreyfus, established and up-and-coming Democrats made their final case for Biden as the candidate with the character and empathetic spirit necessary to uplift a country under siege by the coronavirus, a massive economic downturn and a nationwide reckoning over racial injustice in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
After emotional video testimonials from his children and grandchildren, Biden, officially nominated by Democrats on Tuesday, accepted the nomination in a 20-minute speech that framed the Nov. 3 election as an opportunity to welcome back America’s better angels and turn away from the distress and division characterizing our national moment.
“It is with great honor and humility that I accept this nomination for President of the United States of America,” Biden said.
The former vice president and veteran senator repeatedly emphasized love, dignity, unity and hope as the quintessentially American virtues that will lead a suffering nation out of what he called “a perfect storm” of four historic crises: the coronavirus pandemic, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the urgent demonstrations for racial justice and the looming existential threat of climate change.
“United we can, and will, overcome this season of darkness in America,” Biden said. “We will choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness over privilege.”
Biden also summoned his longstanding reputation as a lawmaker savvy in the ways of compromise, saying that “while I will be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president” because “America isn’t just a collection of clashing interests of red states or blue states.”
The Democratic nominee advocated for finding a path of “hope and light” instead of one of “shadow and suspicion,” a call to action Donald Trump is unable or unwilling to answer as “a president who takes no responsibility, refuses to lead, blames others, cozies up to dictators and fans the flames of hate and division.”
Biden pledged that, once elected, he would develop and deploy rapid coronavirus testing with immediately available results as part of a plan he has been developing since March to subdue a pandemic with no end in sight because “we’ll never have our lives back until we deal with this virus” and “no miracle is coming.”
Having lost a wife and daughter to a car accident and a son to brain cancer, Biden spoke directly to those who lost loved ones to Covid-19 as someone literate in the agonies of grief.
“First, know your loved ones may have left this Earth but they never leave your heart…and second, I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose,” Biden said.
On a policy level, Biden spoke broadly about creating 5 million dignified, good-paying manufacturing jobs, rebuilding vital infrastructure, dealing with climate change as a job-generating opportunity to become a bastion of clean energy and building on the Affordable Care Act signed into law by his friend and former boss Barack Obama.
After recounting the tragic events in Charlottesville of three years ago and his memories of speaking with George Floyd’s daughter Gianna on the day her father was buried, Biden once again called for love, unity and purpose.
“May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation,” he said, trying to rouse the nation heading into an election he and several other speakers over the course of Thursday night held up as the most consequential in American history.


courthousenews--2020-08-21--Texas Embezzler Sentenced for Faking Cancer in Order to Delay Prison Sentence

DALLAS ( CN ) — A North Texas accounting executive was sentenced Thursday to five more years in federal prison for faking stomach cancer to delay being sent to prison for an earlier 41-month wire fraud sentence .
U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle in Dallas sentenced Kassie Bond Carpenter , 42 , for obstruction of justice .
Carpenter pleaded guilty in February , admitting she gave the court phony medical records to delay being sent to prison in the earlier 2016 criminal case .
The sentence will be served consecutively after the 41-month sentence , meaning Carpenter faces a total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars .
“ Defendant knowingly caused to be filed at least nine sets of fictitious and forged medical records indicating she had been diagnosed and was being treated for adenocarcinoma , for the purpose of obtaining multiple extensions of the date to report to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving a sentence of imprisonment , ” the three-page indictment states .
Adenocarcinoma is a cancer that forms in glandular structures within epithelial tissue that line hollow structures in the body .
It is the most common form of esophageal cancer in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men , according to the Mayo Clinic .
Carpenter ’ s second sentence was subject to federal sentencing enhancements due to the offence occurring while she was on pretrial release for the first sentence , according to the indictment .
She was originally ordered to report to federal prison on April 22 , 2017 .
The court relied on the phony medical records to delay her report date at least five times until April 29 , 2019 .
“ Without proper treatment , [ Carpenter ’ s ] cancer will turn malignant and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s motions for delay stated .
Her attorney , Niles Illich , moved to withdraw from the wire fraud case in January 2019 , telling U.S. District Judge Sidney Fitzwater in Dallas that he suspects he had been “ an unwitting tool in a fraud on this court ” due to Carpenter cutting off contact with him .
Judge Fitzwater then ordered Carpenter ’ s arrest and vacated his last reporting date extension .
Carpenter was convicted in 2017 on the wire fraud charge for stealing from commercial real estate firm Property Advisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irving .
“ She admitted she fraudulently issued at least $ 133,000 in checks payable to herself , $ 157,000 in checks payable to a fictitious company she created , and used company money to pay off personal accounts with JC Penny , DirectTV , TXU Energy , and Verizon , resulting in more than $ 372,000 of losses to the property management company , ” prosecutors said in a statement Thursday .
Carpenter used her position as vice president of accounting to approve payment of phony invoices she emailed to the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indictment states .
Property Advisers Realty did not immediately respond to an email message requesting comment Thursday evening .
The firm sued Carpenter in Dallas County District Court in 2012 for fraud , theft and conversion and was granted default judgment for over $ 652,000 later that year .
During a deposition in the civil suit , Carpenter admitted to taking trips to Las Vegas to gamble with the money .
She admitted to not disclosing previous criminal cases against her in Dallas , Denton and Tarrant counties for writing bad checks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of like I was leading a double life , ” she said according to court records .
“ Like I had this going on at the same time when everybody thought I had my act together.
” Carpenter told her former employer ’ s attorneys she did not deliberately try to damage the firm , that she “ just got in over my head … I didn ’ t want to hurt anyone on purpose .
”

A North Texas accounting executive was sentenced Thursday to five more years in federal prison for faking stomach cancer to delay being sent to prison for an earlier 41-month wire fraud sentence.
DALLAS (CN) — A North Texas accounting executive was sentenced Thursday to five more years in federal prison for faking stomach cancer to delay being sent to prison for an earlier 41-month wire fraud sentence.
U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle in Dallas sentenced Kassie Bond Carpenter, 42, for obstruction of justice. Carpenter pleaded guilty in February, admitting she gave the court phony medical records to delay being sent to prison in the earlier 2016 criminal case.
The sentence will be served consecutively after the 41-month sentence, meaning Carpenter faces a total of eight years and five months behind bars.
“Defendant knowingly caused to be filed at least nine sets of fictitious and forged medical records indicating she had been diagnosed and was being treated for adenocarcinoma, for the purpose of obtaining multiple extensions of the date to report to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving a sentence of imprisonment,” the three-page indictment states.
Adenocarcinoma is a cancer that forms in glandular structures within epithelial tissue that line hollow structures in the body. It is the most common form of esophageal cancer in the United States and it primarily affects white men, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Carpenter’s second sentence was subject to federal sentencing enhancements due to the offence occurring while she was on pretrial release for the first sentence, according to the indictment.
She was originally ordered to report to federal prison on April 22, 2017. The court relied on the phony medical records to delay her report date at least five times until April 29, 2019.
“Without proper treatment, [Carpenter’s] cancer will turn malignant and metastasize,” one of Carpenter’s motions for delay stated.
Her attorney, Niles Illich, moved to withdraw from the wire fraud case in January 2019, telling U.S. District Judge Sidney Fitzwater in Dallas that he suspects he had been “an unwitting tool in a fraud on this court” due to Carpenter cutting off contact with him. Judge Fitzwater then ordered Carpenter’s arrest and vacated his last reporting date extension.
Carpenter was convicted in 2017 on the wire fraud charge for stealing from commercial real estate firm Property Advisers Realty, her former employer based in Irving.
“She admitted she fraudulently issued at least $133,000 in checks payable to herself, $157,000 in checks payable to a fictitious company she created, and used company money to pay off personal accounts with JC Penny, DirectTV, TXU Energy, and Verizon, resulting in more than $372,000 of losses to the property management company,” prosecutors said in a statement Thursday.
Carpenter used her position as vice president of accounting to approve payment of phony invoices she emailed to the company from fictitious vendors, the November 2016 indictment states.
Property Advisers Realty did not immediately respond to an email message requesting comment Thursday evening. The firm sued Carpenter in Dallas County District Court in 2012 for fraud, theft and conversion and was granted default judgment for over $652,000 later that year.
During a deposition in the civil suit, Carpenter admitted to taking trips to Las Vegas to gamble with the money. She admitted to not disclosing previous criminal cases against her in Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties for writing bad checks and theft.
“Essentially, it was kind of like I was leading a double life,” she said according to court records. “Like I had this going on at the same time when everybody thought I had my act together.”
Carpenter told her former employer’s attorneys she did not deliberately try to damage the firm, that she “just got in over my head … I didn’t want to hurt anyone on purpose.”


courthousenews--2020-08-21--ACLU Sues Puerto Rico Over Its Pandemic Voting Policies

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico ( CN ) — Civil rights lawyers slapped the Puerto Rico Election Commission with a federal lawsuit on Thursday , claiming the U.S. territory failed to ensure people older than 60 can safely vote during the Nov. 3 presidential election .
Ahead of a general election laden with partisan furor and public fear over Covid-19 contraction , the American Civil Liberties Union of Puerto Rico filed a complaint in San Juan over an alleged lack of safety accommodations for the island ’ s older voters .
“ The problem is the commission isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandate to protect voters for the November election .
Older people are at particularly high risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID-19 .
They need absentee and early voting options , but the commission is foot-dragging when it comes to adopting the necessary policies , ” Mayte Bayolo-Alonso , a legislative attorney with the ACLU of Puerto Rico said in a statement .
New York-based law firm Paul , Weiss , Rifkind , Wharton & Garrison LLP joined the ACLU in bringing the legal action on behalf of “ Puerto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to vote safely , either by absentee ballot or early voting to avoid crowds.
” The civil rights advocates are urging the court to force election officials to implement policies that will allow older voters to access early and absentee voting .
They contend a spread of Covid-19 in Puerto Rico from overcrowding in polling places is likely to occur due to a “ trifecta ” of exceptionally high voter turnout , a limited number of polling places and certain mail-in voting restrictions .
“ Because the commission has provided voters no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has effectively disenfranchised a significant number of its citizens who can not risk exposing themselves to COVID-19 , ” the advocates wrote .
According to U.S. Census Bureau data , senior citizens make up more than 20 % of Puerto Rico ’ s population .
Belia Arlene Ocasio , 67 , and Efrain Colon Damiani , 69 , are among the plaintiffs in the case .
According to the ACLU , both of them have a high risk of succumbing to severe illness or death if they contract Covid-19 .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing guidelines and risk their health ” in order to vote in November , the advocates say .
“ Neither qualifies for early voting in Puerto Rico under any of the categories authorized by the election code for the 2020 general election , and will have to vote in person on Nov. 3 , absent any relief , ” an ACLU press release announcing the lawsuit states .
Thursday ’ s complaint follows weeks of uncertainty after the territory ’ s primaries in early August were marred as ballots reached only a handful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots in a majority of Puerto Rico ’ s centers caused many frustrated voters to blame the elections commission .
Currently , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises travelers not to visit Puerto Rico unless it is essential as the island reports more than 12,500 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 236 deaths resulting from the virus .
Face masks in Puerto Rico are still mandatory and Governor Wanda Vázquez , a member of the pro-statehood Progressive New Party , announced stricter safety measures on Wednesday in order to fight the area ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Civil rights lawyers slapped the Puerto Rico Election Commission with a federal lawsuit on Thursday, claiming the U.S. territory failed to ensure people older than 60 can safely vote during the Nov. 3 presidential election.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (CN) — Civil rights lawyers slapped the Puerto Rico Election Commission with a federal lawsuit on Thursday, claiming the U.S. territory failed to ensure people older than 60 can safely vote during the Nov. 3 presidential election.
Ahead of a general election laden with partisan furor and public fear over Covid-19 contraction, the American Civil Liberties Union of Puerto Rico filed a complaint in San Juan over an alleged lack of safety accommodations for the island’s older voters.
“The problem is the commission isn’t doing anything to fulfill its existing legal mandate to protect voters for the November election. Older people are at particularly high risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID-19. They need absentee and early voting options, but the commission is foot-dragging when it comes to adopting the necessary policies,” Mayte Bayolo-Alonso, a legislative attorney with the ACLU of Puerto Rico said in a statement.
New York-based law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP joined the ACLU in bringing the legal action on behalf of “Puerto Rico residents who are over 60 and want to vote safely, either by absentee ballot or early voting to avoid crowds.”
The civil rights advocates are urging the court to force election officials to implement policies that will allow older voters to access early and absentee voting.
They contend a spread of Covid-19 in Puerto Rico from overcrowding in polling places is likely to occur due to a “trifecta” of exceptionally high voter turnout, a limited number of polling places and certain mail-in voting restrictions.
“Because the commission has provided voters no option that avoids exposure to COVID-19, it has effectively disenfranchised a significant number of its citizens who cannot risk exposing themselves to COVID-19,” the advocates wrote.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, senior citizens make up more than 20% of Puerto Rico’s population.
Belia Arlene Ocasio, 67, and Efrain Colon Damiani, 69, are among the plaintiffs in the case. According to the ACLU, both of them have a high risk of succumbing to severe illness or death if they contract Covid-19.
Still, they “will have to violate social distancing guidelines and risk their health” in order to vote in November, the advocates say.
“Neither qualifies for early voting in Puerto Rico under any of the categories authorized by the election code for the 2020 general election, and will have to vote in person on Nov. 3, absent any relief,” an ACLU press release announcing the lawsuit states.
Thursday’s complaint follows weeks of uncertainty after the territory’s primaries in early August were marred as ballots reached only a handful of voting centers.
The lack of ballots in a majority of Puerto Rico’s centers caused many frustrated voters to blame the elections commission.
Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises travelers not to visit Puerto Rico unless it is essential as the island reports more than 12,500 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 236 deaths resulting from the virus.
Face masks in Puerto Rico are still mandatory and Governor Wanda Vázquez, a member of the pro-statehood Progressive New Party, announced stricter safety measures on Wednesday in order to fight the area’s recent spike in Covid-19 cases.


courthousenews--2020-08-21--Judge: Federal Agents Lack Authority to Clear Portland Streets

PORTLAND , Ore. ( CN ) — Federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to protect federal buildings in Portland are now under an injunction barring them from assaulting journalists and legal observers .
The government says it will appeal .
Journalists and legal observers initially sued local police , claiming they were targeting them for arrest and assault simply for doing their jobs .
But Portland police agreed on July 16 to rules allowing journalists and legal observers to remain in an area declared closed in order to observe and cover any arrests , and accompanying violence , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent federal agents to Portland under Operation Diligent Valor , U.S. District Judge Michael Simon let the journalists and legal observers add federal agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security , the U.S .
Marshals Service , Customs and Border Control and Federal Protective Services as defendants in the case .
Judge Simon entered and extended a temporary restraining order barring federal agents from assaulting and arresting journalists and legal observers .
Federal agents are still in Portland .
They are just out of sight .
The Department of Homeland Security called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing down and withdrawing ” a “ myth.
” “ There has been no reduction in federal presence ; federal law enforcement officers remain in Portland at augmented levels .
Reports and implications to the contrary are irresponsible and dishonest , ” the department said that in an Aug. 4 press release .
Judge Simon underscored that point in his ruling Thursday .
“ The out-of-town agents and officers of the federal defendants who have been deployed to Portland , however , and whose actions were the basis of the court ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simon wrote .
“ Further , they have no scheduled date of departure.
” Simon made his restraining order more permanent , issuing a preliminary injunction with the added requirement that federal agents wear unique identifying numbers .
Thirty-six journalists and legal observers have filed declarations in the case , documenting instances where they say federal agents targeted them for assaults , even though they were clearly marked as professionals and couldn ’ t have been mistaken for protesters .
Fourteen of those incidents happened after Judge Simon ’ s restraining order was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On the very night Simon issued his restraining order , federal agents shot legal observer Kat Mahoney in the head with a pink paint ball as she stood across the street from the federal courthouse , observing the protest , according to Mahoney ’ s declaration .
Later that same night , Mahoney says , a federal officer calmly doused her and three other legal observers “ as though he were watering a line of flowers.
” And federal officers shot another legal observer with a rubber bullet after the restraining order was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In that situation , the officer stood four feet from a legal observer wearing a green National Lawyers Guild hat and fired directly at her chest , missing her heart by just a few inches .
Courthouse News has also filed a declaration in the case .
And federal agents tear gassed a crowd of thousands on July 22 that included Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler .
Simon found the declarations persuasive as evidence that federal agents intentionally beat , pepper-sprayed and shot journalists and legal observers and forced them to disperse , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In sum , plaintiffs provide substantial circumstantial evidence of retaliatory intent to show , at the minimum , serious questions going to the merits , ” Simon wrote .
“ Plaintiffs submit numerous declarations and other video evidence describing and showing situations in which the declarants were identifiable as press , were not engaging in unlawful activity or even protesting , were not standing near protesters , and yet were subjected to violence by federal agents under circumstances that appear to indicate intentional targeting.
” But the government has refused to identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said in court documents that none have been disciplined .
Government attorney Jordan Von Bokern told Simon in an Aug. 6 hearing that the federal agencies can not say who the agents are that could potentially be held in contempt of Simon ’ s order .
“ Your honor , we have not been successful in identifying those agents , to the extent that the allegations refer to real events , which is still disputed , ” Von Bokern said .
Simon on Thursday ordered the federal agencies to add identifying numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markings would deter “ the very conduct against which plaintiffs have filed suit.
” “ The current identifying markings are not of sufficient visibility , ” Simon wrote .
“ The court does not find it credible that there is no possible location on the helmet or uniforms on which more visible markings can be placed.
” Federal agents who are working undercover , however , are exempt from that requirement , Simon noted .
He directed the parties to decide on a method of identification within 14 days and said he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an agreement in that time .
Simon initially said at a hearing Tuesday that the question of whether had different rights under the First Amendment than those of protesters , who legally must leave an area after a riot has been declared .
At the time , Simon said it was a question he had been mulling for “ weeks , ” and one that he thought was likely to end up at the U.S. Supreme Court .
But in Thursday ’ s ruling , Simon appeared to have changed his mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before him .
He found that federal agents in Portland lack authority to declare a riot and clear the city ’ s streets , and that they aren ’ t even asserting that right in their claims .
“ First , the federal defendants are not the entities that ‘ close ’ state and local public streets and parks ; that is a local police function , ” Simon wrote .
“ Second , the point of a journalist observing and documenting government action is to record whether the ‘ closing ’ of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riot ) is lawfully originated and lawfully carried out .
Without journalists and legal observers , there is only the government ’ s side of the story to explain why a ‘ riot ’ was declared and the public streets were ‘ closed ’ and whether law enforcement acted properly in effectuating that order.
” Simon noted local police have already stipulated to an injunction saying they will not arrest journalists or legal observers for failing to obey orders to disperse .
“ Someday , a court may need to decide whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observers , as distinct from the public generally , from having to comply with an otherwise lawful order to disperse from city streets when journalists and legal observers seek to observe , document , and report the conduct of law enforcement personnel , ” Simon wrote in a footnote .
“ But today is not that day .
”

Federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to protect federal buildings in Portland are now under an injunction barring them from assaulting journalists and legal observers. The government says it will appeal.
PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) — Federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to protect federal buildings in Portland are now under an injunction barring them from assaulting journalists and legal observers. The government says it will appeal.
Journalists and legal observers initially sued local police, claiming they were targeting them for arrest and assault simply for doing their jobs. But Portland police agreed on July 16 to rules allowing journalists and legal observers to remain in an area declared closed in order to observe and cover any arrests, and accompanying violence, that followed.
Shortly after President Donald Trump sent federal agents to Portland under Operation Diligent Valor, U.S. District Judge Michael Simon let the journalists and legal observers add federal agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service, Customs and Border Control and Federal Protective Services as defendants in the case.
Judge Simon entered and extended a temporary restraining order barring federal agents from assaulting and arresting journalists and legal observers.
Federal agents are still in Portland. They are just out of sight. The Department of Homeland Security called the idea that “DHS forces are standing down and withdrawing” a “myth.”
“There has been no reduction in federal presence; federal law enforcement officers remain in Portland at augmented levels. Reports and implications to the contrary are irresponsible and dishonest,” the department said that in an Aug. 4 press release.
Judge Simon underscored that point in his ruling Thursday.
“The out-of-town agents and officers of the federal defendants who have been deployed to Portland, however, and whose actions were the basis of the court’s TRO, remain in Portland,” Simon wrote. “Further, they have no scheduled date of departure.”
Simon made his restraining order more permanent, issuing a preliminary injunction with the added requirement that federal agents wear unique identifying numbers.
Thirty-six journalists and legal observers have filed declarations in the case, documenting instances where they say federal agents targeted them for assaults, even though they were clearly marked as professionals and couldn’t have been mistaken for protesters. Fourteen of those incidents happened after Judge Simon’s restraining order was in place, according to declarations.
On the very night Simon issued his restraining order, federal agents shot legal observer Kat Mahoney in the head with a pink paint ball as she stood across the street from the federal courthouse, observing the protest, according to Mahoney’s declaration. Later that same night, Mahoney says, a federal officer calmly doused her and three other legal observers “as though he were watering a line of flowers.”
And federal officers shot another legal observer with a rubber bullet after the restraining order was in place, according to court documents. In that situation, the officer stood four feet from a legal observer wearing a green National Lawyers Guild hat and fired directly at her chest, missing her heart by just a few inches.
Courthouse News has also filed a declaration in the case.
And federal agents tear gassed a crowd of thousands on July 22 that included Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler.
Simon found the declarations persuasive as evidence that federal agents intentionally beat, pepper-sprayed and shot journalists and legal observers and forced them to disperse, in spite of his restraining order.
“In sum, plaintiffs provide substantial circumstantial evidence of retaliatory intent to show, at the minimum, serious questions going to the merits,” Simon wrote. “Plaintiffs submit numerous declarations and other video evidence describing and showing situations in which the declarants were identifiable as press, were not engaging in unlawful activity or even protesting, were not standing near protesters, and yet were subjected to violence by federal agents under circumstances that appear to indicate intentional targeting.”
But the government has refused to identify the agents involved in such incidents and has said in court documents that none have been disciplined.
Government attorney Jordan Von Bokern told Simon in an Aug. 6 hearing that the federal agencies cannot say who the agents are that could potentially be held in contempt of Simon’s order.
“Your honor, we have not been successful in identifying those agents, to the extent that the allegations refer to real events, which is still disputed,” Von Bokern said.
Simon on Thursday ordered the federal agencies to add identifying numbers to agents’ uniforms, saying such markings would deter “the very conduct against which plaintiffs have filed suit.”
“The current identifying markings are not of sufficient visibility,” Simon wrote. “The court does not find it credible that there is no possible location on the helmet or uniforms on which more visible markings can be placed.”
Federal agents who are working undercover, however, are exempt from that requirement, Simon noted. He directed the parties to decide on a method of identification within 14 days and said he would resolve any disputes should they not come to an agreement in that time.
Simon initially said at a hearing Tuesday that the question of whether journalists have different rights under the First Amendment than those of protesters, who legally must leave an area after a riot has been declared, was likely to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. Simon said at the hearing that it was a question he had been mulling for “weeks.”
But in Thursday’s ruling, Simon appeared to have changed his mind, finding that the question was not before him. He found that federal agents in Portland lack authority to declare a riot and clear the city’s streets, and that they aren’t even asserting that right in their claims.
“First, the federal defendants are not the entities that ‘close’ state and local public streets and parks; that is a local police function,” Simon wrote. “Second, the point of a journalist observing and documenting government action is to record whether the ‘closing’ of public streets (e.g., declaring a riot) is lawfully originated and lawfully carried out. Without journalists and legal observers, there is only the government’s side of the story to explain why a ‘riot’ was declared and the public streets were ‘closed’ and whether law enforcement acted properly in effectuating that order.”
Simon noted local police have already stipulated to an injunction saying they will not arrest journalists or legal observers for failing to obey orders to disperse.
“Someday, a court may need to decide whether the First Amendment protects journalists and authorized legal observers, as distinct from the public generally, from having to comply with an otherwise lawful order to disperse from city streets when journalists and legal observers seek to observe, document, and report the conduct of law enforcement personnel,” Simon wrote in a footnote. “But today is not that day.”


courthousenews--2020-08-21--Lawsuit Seeks to Undo Fee Hikes for Citizenship and Asylum Applications

SAN FRANCISCO ( CN ) — Drastic hikes on fees paid by immigrants to apply for asylum , work permits and U.S. citizenship should be voided , immigrant advocates claim in a new lawsuit , because the fee increases were enacted under two department heads who had been improperly appointed to their positions .
In a final rule published in the federal register Aug. 3 , the Department of Homeland Security more than doubled the fee to apply for U.S. citizenship , from $ 700 to $ 1,725 , and narrowed fee-waiver eligibility .
The agency also created the first-ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , increased work permit application fees from $ 410 to $ 550 and added new biometric services fees of $ 30 to $ 85 to multiple immigration-related applications .
Immigrant Legal Resources Center , a San Francisco based nonprofit , and seven other immigrant advocacy groups challenged the fee hikes in a lawsuit filed against acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and acting U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ) director Ken Cuccinelli on Friday .
“ With DHS ’ s new fee rule , the Trump administration has demonstrated its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in pursuit of its anti-immigrant and xenophobic agenda , ” said Melissa Rodgers , programs director for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center , in a statement Friday .
The immigrant advocates say the final rule is invalid because it was proposed by former acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan and finalized under Wolf , both of whom were found to have been improperly appointed by a government watchdog last week .
The Government Accountability Office found McAleenan and Wolf did not follow the proper order of succession after former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report followed a federal judge ’ s ruling in March that concluded Cuccinelli ’ s appointment was also invalid .
Beyond challenging the legitimacy of the agency ’ s leaders , the groups also claim Homeland Security was motivated by “ racial animus ” toward people from nonwhite-majority nations .
They say the agency also failed to provide a “ cogent explanation ” as to why the fee hikes are needed .
USCIS said it had to increase fees by 20 % on average to help cover operational costs because its previous fee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by $ 1 billion per year .
“ These overdue adjustments in fees are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation ’ s lawful immigration system , secure the homeland and protect Americans , ” said Joseph Edlow , USCIS deputy director for policy , in a July 31 statement .
The immigrant advocates say Homeland Security failed to explain what happened to its $ 400 million budget surplus , how it spent a $ 1 billion carryover from fiscal year 2017 , why it expects a $ 1.4 billion increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from fee hikes will be spent .
The department said the extra revenue will pay for new hires , salary raises and “ net additional costs.
” The plaintiffs say Homeland Security leaves 63 % of new revenue spending “ completely unexplained.
” Immigrant advocates say the fee hikes are also illegal because Homeland Security plans to use them to cover things like immigration enforcement , which is outside the scope of USCIS ’ s mission of processing and adjudicating immigration applications .
Additionally , the plaintiffs complain that imposing nonwaivable fees on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide for those fleeing persecution in foreign countries and seeking refuge in the United States .
“ USCIS is trying to impose a fee for first-time asylum seekers in contrast to what Congress has specified — that filing for asylum should be free , ” said Kaveena Singh , managing attorney for co-plaintiff East Bay Sanctuary Covenant .
“ Asylum seekers often have been forced to flee for their lives to escape persecution and arrive in the U.S. with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.
” The lawsuit claims Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fifth Amendment by failing to consider the financial circumstances of asylum applicants .
It further accuses the agency of violating the Regulatory Flexibility Act by reaching the “ unsupported and irrational ” conclusion that the rule will have no significant impact on small businesses .
Homeland Security was also motivated by a “ discriminatory purpose ” to impose hardships on people of color when it passed the rule in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment , the plaintiffs say .
Other claims include violations of the Federal Vacancies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Security Act , and Administrative Procedure Act .
The plaintiffs seek a preliminary and permanent nationwide injunction to deem the rule invalid .
Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights , Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. , International Rescue Committee , OneAmerica , Asian Counseling and Referral Service , and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights .
A USCIS spokesperson declined to comment on the litigation .

Drastic hikes on fees paid by immigrants to apply for asylum, work permits and U.S. citizenship should be voided, immigrant advocates claim in a new lawsuit, because the fee increases were enacted under two department heads who had been improperly appointed to their positions.
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Drastic hikes on fees paid by immigrants to apply for asylum, work permits and U.S. citizenship should be voided, immigrant advocates claim in a new lawsuit, because the fee increases were enacted under two department heads who had been improperly appointed to their positions.
In a final rule published in the federal register Aug. 3, the Department of Homeland Security more than doubled the fee to apply for U.S. citizenship, from $700 to $1,710 — $1,610 for online applications — and narrowed fee-waiver eligibility. The agency also created the first-ever nonwaivable $50 fee for asylum applications, increased work permit application fees from $410 to $550 and added new biometric services fees of $30 to $85 to multiple immigration-related applications.
Immigrant Legal Resources Center, a San Francisco based nonprofit, and seven other immigrant advocacy groups challenged the fee hikes in a lawsuit filed against acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director Ken Cuccinelli on Friday.
“With DHS’s new fee rule, the Trump administration has demonstrated its willingness to disregard the rule of law in pursuit of its anti-immigrant and xenophobic agenda,” said Melissa Rodgers, programs director for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, in a statement Friday.
The immigrant advocates say the final rule is invalid because it was proposed by former acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan and finalized under Wolf, both of whom were found to have been improperly appointed by a government watchdog last week. The Government Accountability Office found McAleenan and Wolf did not follow the proper order of succession after former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned in April 2019. That report followed a federal judge’s ruling in March that concluded Cuccinelli’s appointment was also invalid.
Beyond challenging the legitimacy of the agency’s leaders, the groups also claim Homeland Security was motivated by “racial animus” toward people from nonwhite-majority nations. They say the agency also failed to provide a “cogent explanation” as to why the fee hikes are needed.
USCIS said it had to increase fees by 20% on average to help cover operational costs because its previous fee schedule would have left the agency underfunded by $1 billion per year.
“These overdue adjustments in fees are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation’s lawful immigration system, secure the homeland and protect Americans,” said Joseph Edlow, USCIS deputy director for policy, in a July 31 statement.
The immigrant advocates say Homeland Security failed to explain what happened to its $400 million budget surplus, how it spent a $1 billion carryover from fiscal year 2017, why it expects a $1.4 billion increase in costs, or how the extra revenue from fee hikes will be spent.
The department said the extra revenue will pay for new hires, salary raises and “net additional costs.” The plaintiffs say Homeland Security leaves 63% of new revenue spending “completely unexplained.”
Immigrant advocates say the fee hikes are also illegal because Homeland Security plans to use them to cover things like immigration enforcement, which is outside the scope of USCIS’s mission of processing and adjudicating immigration applications.
Additionally, the plaintiffs complain that imposing nonwaivable fees on asylum applicants contradicts the protections Congress intended to provide for those fleeing persecution in foreign countries and seeking refuge in the United States.
“USCIS is trying to impose a fee for first-time asylum seekers in contrast to what Congress has specified — that filing for asylum should be free,” said Kaveena Singh, managing attorney for co-plaintiff East Bay Sanctuary Covenant. “Asylum seekers often have been forced to flee for their lives to escape persecution and arrive in the U.S. with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.”
The lawsuit claims Homeland Security violated the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment by failing to consider the financial circumstances of asylum applicants. It further accuses the agency of violating the Regulatory Flexibility Act by reaching the “unsupported and irrational” conclusion that the rule will have no significant impact on small businesses.
Homeland Security was also motivated by a “discriminatory purpose” to impose hardships on people of color when it passed the rule in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment, the plaintiffs say.
Other claims include violations of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, appointments clause of the Homeland Security Act, and Administrative Procedure Act.
The plaintiffs seek a preliminary and permanent nationwide injunction to deem the rule invalid.
Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., International Rescue Committee, OneAmerica, Asian Counseling and Referral Service, and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
A USCIS spokesperson declined to comment on the litigation.


Oil Spill Containment

NEW ORLEANS — Marine contractor Couvillion is entitled to immunity in a suit brought against it by Taylor Energy , @ @ @ @ @ in Louisiana to declare that the contractor did not have the authority to assist in @ @ @ @ @ spill in the Gulf of Mexico .
Taylor Energy now exists only to address the @ @ @ @ @ , which collapsed during Hurricane Ivan .

The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.


courthousenews--2020-08-21--California Courts Covid Update

California Courts Covid Update

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courthousenews--2020-08-21--Wells Fargo Settles Class Action Over Its Lending Policies for Immigrants

SAN FRANCISCO ( CN ) — Under a class action settlement approved Friday by a federal judge , Wells Fargo will change its lending policies to extend student loans and other lines of credit to DACA recipients on the same terms and conditions as U.S. citizens .
It will also pay $ 18.7 million to compensate DACA recipients who were turned down for student loans , credit cards , mortgages and other loans because they did not meet Wells Fargo ’ s citizen or immigration status requirements .
The award will be divided into payments of $ 4,750,000 to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who file claims , and the settlement says at least 50,000 DACA recipients are eligible for payments .
Lead plaintiff Mitzie Perez is one of some 800,000 young people who was granted protection from deportation through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals .
The program created through executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012 protects qualified applicants from deportation if they were brought here as children and have clean records .
They may apply for and be granted work permits good for two years , which can be renewed .
Perez sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a junior at the University of California , Riverside , after she was denied a student loan through its website .
Perez says the denial happened after she answered a question about her citizenship status , a violation of equal rights to enforce contracts under 42 U.S. Code § 1981 .
Wells Fargo said through a spokesman that it was pleased that U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney approved the agreement , pointing to its announcement in March about plans to expand DACA recipients ’ access to credit .
Chesney also approved on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fargo and a class of DACA recipients excluded from receiving auto loans .
The agreement estimates that roughly 400 people could receive payments between $ 280,000 and $ 630,000 , depending on the number who file .

Under a class action settlement approved Friday by a federal judge, Wells Fargo will change its lending policies to extend student loans and other lines of credit to DACA recipients on the same terms and conditions as U.S. citizens.
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Under a class action settlement approved Friday by a federal judge, Wells Fargo will change its lending policies to extend student loans and other lines of credit to DACA recipients on the same terms and conditions as U.S. citizens.
It will also pay $18.7 million to compensate DACA recipients who were turned down for student loans, credit cards, mortgages and other loans because they did not meet Wells Fargo’s citizen or immigration status requirements.
The award will be divided into payments of $4,750,000 to $13,100,000, depending on the number of people who file claims, and the settlement says at least 50,000 DACA recipients are eligible for payments.
Lead plaintiff Mitzie Perez is one of some 800,000 young people who was granted protection from deportation through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
The program created through executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012 protects qualified applicants from deportation if they were brought here as children and have clean records. They may apply for and be granted work permits good for two years, which can be renewed.
Perez sued Wells Fargo in 2017 while she was a junior at the University of California, Riverside, after she was denied a student loan through its website. Perez says the denial happened after she answered a question about her citizenship status, a violation of equal rights to enforce contracts under 42 U.S. Code § 1981.
Wells Fargo said through a spokesman that it was pleased that U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney approved the agreement, pointing to its announcement in March about plans to expand DACA recipients’ access to credit.
Chesney also approved on Friday a $1.185 million settlement between Wells Fargo and a class of DACA recipients excluded from receiving auto loans. The agreement estimates that roughly 400 people could receive payments between $280,000 and $630,000, depending on the number who file.


Smokable Hemp

AUSTIN , Texas — A Texas trial court judge temporarily lifted the Department of State Health Services ’ ban on @ @ @ @ @ sale of smokable hemp products .


courthousenews--2020-08-21--California Wildfires Have Blackened 771,000 Acres This Week

( CN ) — Massive wildfires in California , most sparked by thousands of lightning strikes and exacerbated by an intense heatwave , have scorched 771,000 acres this week alone , Governor Gavin Newsom said Friday while calling for a federal disaster declaration to supplement multistate aid for the more than 12,000 firefighters battling blazes statewide .
The number of wildfires currently burning in the Golden State grew to at least 560 on Friday , up from 400 the day before , as high temperatures and more than 12,000 lightning strikes in the last three days have intensified the flames @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the SCU Lightning Complex , has burned nearly 230,000 acres in Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties in less than three days .
The blaze is 10 % contained , according to Cal Fire .
To the north , the LNU Lightning Complex fire in Napa and Sonoma counties has burned at least 219,000 acres and is 7 % contained as of Friday .
The SCU and LNU complex fires are the state ’ s 7th and 10th largest fires in recorded history , respectively , Newsom said in a press conference with fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick called on residents to take seriously the current safety warnings in effect and to leave their homes when ordered to do so or when they feel unsafe .
“ Our job is to get the public out of harm ’ s way , ” Essick said , adding that residents should follow emergency response alerts for the most current evacuation orders .
“ You remaining in those areas could hamper firefighting efforts .
Please heed the warnings as they come out.
” Half a dozen U.S. states have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support and personnel to California ’ s firefighting efforts , including Oregon and Arizona which sent 25 and 10 fire engines , respectively , Newsom said .
The Democratic governor seeks a federal disaster declaration that would open more fiscal and logistic support for firefighting efforts and told reporters he expects President Donald Trump to comply with the request despite his repeated attacks against Newsom ’ s administration .
“ There are no politics in this space , ” Newsom said of the state ’ s battle against wildfires .
“ We defend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But in this time of crisis , we also have to defend the American people .
At this point we ’ re here to save lives .
Everybody deserves to be protected.
” Newsom ’ s comments come after the Trump administration signed off on another Fire Management Assistance Grant , or FMAG , for California from the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) .
The program allows local governments to apply for partial federal reimbursements for firefighting costs .
The most recent FMAG will help direct resources specifically to suppress the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is roughly 20 separate fires burning in steep terrain across Contra Costa , Alameda , Santa Clara , Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties .
The fire has burned more than 8,000 homes , fire officials said Friday .
The state has also received FMAGs to bolster firefighting work in Santa Cruz , San Mateo Napa , Nevada , Lake , Solano , Yolo and Monterey counties .
Officials announced this week wildfires have killed four people , three in Napa County and one person in Sonoma County .
The state recorded a fifth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; a helicopter pilot died this week after an accident while battling flames near Fresno , Newsom said Friday .
In Southern California , the Lake Fire has burned more than 28,900 acres of thick brush and trees and is 52 % contained .
Flames are burning through an area of the forest that has not seen a fire in 80 to 100 years , meaning thick , plentiful sources of fuel have built up for nearly a century .
In neighboring Riverside County , the Apple Fire has burned over 33,400 acres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , according to the U.S. Forest Service .
The governor said the state made strides in recent months to reduce fuels in fire-prone areas and more recently has bolstered its firefighting ranks with the hiring of 858 more firefighters and six California Conservation Corps crews in place through October .
The state ’ s current budget also includes $ 85 million for permanent firefighting positions and emergency response vehicles and aircraft .
“ We have more people but it ’ s not enough .
We have more aircraft but it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
California is operating on its highest level of statewide coordination for emergency response as it battles wildfires , an intense heatwave and the coronavirus pandemic .
State health officials announced Friday an additional 5,585 confirmed cases of the virus that causes Covid-19 .
California ’ s 14-day positivity rate — a key indicator of community transmission of the virus — is 6.5 % .
Newsom said Friday that Orange County could soon join Placer and San Diego Counties and come off of a state monitoring list that imposed social restrictions for areas @ @ @ @ @ @

Massive wildfires in California, most sparked by thousands of lightning strikes and exacerbated by an intense heatwave, have scorched 771,000 acres this week alone, Governor Gavin Newsom said Friday while calling for a federal disaster declaration to supplement multistate aid for the more than 12,000 firefighters battling blazes statewide.
(CN) — Massive wildfires in California, most sparked by thousands of lightning strikes and exacerbated by an intense heatwave, have scorched 771,000 acres this week alone, Governor Gavin Newsom said Friday while calling for a federal disaster declaration to supplement multistate aid for the more than 12,000 firefighters battling blazes statewide.
The number of wildfires currently burning in the Golden State grew to at least 560 on Friday, up from 400 the day before, as high temperatures and more than 12,000 lightning strikes in the last three days have intensified the flames.
The largest collection of fires, the SCU Lightning Complex, has burned nearly 230,000 acres in Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties in less than three days. The blaze is 10% contained, according to Cal Fire.
To the north, the LNU Lightning Complex fire in Napa and Sonoma counties has burned at least 219,000 acres and is 7% contained as of Friday.
The SCU and LNU complex fires are the state’s 7th and 10th largest fires in recorded history, respectively, Newsom said in a press conference with fire and emergency management officials on Friday.
Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick called on residents to take seriously the current safety warnings in effect and to leave their homes when ordered to do so or when they feel unsafe.
“Our job is to get the public out of harm's way,” Essick said, adding that residents should follow emergency response alerts for the most current evacuation orders. “You remaining in those areas could hamper firefighting efforts. Please heed the warnings as they come out.”
Half a dozen U.S. states have contributed fire engines, aircraft, logistical support and personnel to California’s firefighting efforts, including Oregon and Arizona which sent 25 and 10 fire engines, respectively, Newsom said.
The Democratic governor seeks a federal disaster declaration that would open more fiscal and logistic support for firefighting efforts and told reporters he expects President Donald Trump to comply with the request despite his repeated attacks against Newsom’s administration.
“There are no politics in this space,” Newsom said of the state’s battle against wildfires. “We defend our values and we defend facts. But in this time of crisis, we also have to defend the American people. At this point we're here to save lives. Everybody deserves to be protected.”
Newsom’s comments come after the Trump administration signed off on another Fire Management Assistance Grant, or FMAG, for California from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The program allows local governments to apply for partial federal reimbursements for firefighting costs. The most recent FMAG will help direct resources specifically to suppress the SCU Lightning Complex fire.
The complex is roughly 20 separate fires burning in steep terrain across Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties. The fire has burned more than 8,000 homes, fire officials said Friday.
The state has also received FMAGs to bolster firefighting work in Santa Cruz, San Mateo Napa, Nevada, Lake, Solano, Yolo and Monterey counties.
Officials announced this week wildfires have killed four people, three in Napa County and one person in Sonoma County.
The state recorded a fifth death in its fight against the fires; a helicopter pilot died this week after an accident while battling flames near Fresno, Newsom said Friday.
In Southern California, the Lake Fire has burned more than 28,900 acres of thick brush and trees and is 52% contained.
Flames are burning through an area of the forest that has not seen a fire in 80 to 100 years, meaning thick, plentiful sources of fuel have built up for nearly a century.
In neighboring Riverside County, the Apple Fire has burned over 33,400 acres but was 95% contained as of Friday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The governor said the state made strides in recent months to reduce fuels in fire-prone areas and more recently has bolstered its firefighting ranks with the hiring of 858 more firefighters and six California Conservation Corps crews in place through October.
The state’s current budget also includes $85 million for permanent firefighting positions and emergency response vehicles and aircraft.
“We have more people but it’s not enough. We have more aircraft but it’s still not enough,” Newsom said.
California is operating on its highest level of statewide coordination for emergency response as it battles wildfires, an intense heatwave and the coronavirus pandemic.
State health officials announced Friday an additional 5,585 confirmed cases of the virus that causes Covid-19. California’s 14-day positivity rate — a key indicator of community transmission of the virus — is 6.5%. Newsom said Friday that Orange County could soon join Placer and San Diego Counties and come off of a state monitoring list that imposed social restrictions for areas with high rates of transmission.


Top Eight

Your Friday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News Top eight CNS stories for today including the confessed serial killer dubbed The Golden State Killer will die in prison ; Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate committee he plans to give mail-in ballots top priority ; New York City ’ s pro-transparency law allowing for the release of police disciplinary records can proceed in mostly full effect , and more .
Sign up for CNS Top Eight , a roundup of the day ’ s top stories delivered directly to your email Monday through Friday .
1 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ House is out to undermine vote by mail in November ’ s election , Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate committee Friday that he plans to give mail-in ballots top priority .
2 . )
“ Full House ” actress Lori Loughlin was sentenced to two months in jail Friday for her part in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal , with the sentencing judge saying he was “ dumbfounded ” by her “ gall.
” 3 . )
The week in which two of the three major U.S. indices hit new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note , mostly due to positive housing data and promising news on a coronavirus vaccine .
4 . )
Ensnared randomly by a relative ’ s DNA genetic test submitted decades after a brutal yearslong crime spree , the confessed serial killer dubbed The Golden State Killer ’ s disappearing act is up : He will die in prison .
5 . )
New York City ’ s pro-transparency law allowing for the release of police disciplinary records can proceed in mostly full effect , a federal judge announced in a telephone conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials can not reject absentee ballots based upon mismatched signatures without first notifying the voter and giving them a chance to correct any mistakes , a federal judge ruled .
7 . )
Bond hearings were held Thursday for five powerful men accused of arms trafficking in El Salvador , with the court agreeing to release the defendants without conditions before trial .
8 . )
A large share of European Union agricultural subsidies benefit the wealthiest and most polluting farms in Europe , new research shows .

Top eight CNS stories for today including the confessed serial killer dubbed The Golden State Killer will die in prison; Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate committee he plans to give mail-in ballots top priority; New York City’s pro-transparency law allowing for the release of police disciplinary records can proceed in mostly full effect, and more.
Your Friday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News
Top eight CNS stories for today including the confessed serial killer dubbed The Golden State Killer will die in prison; Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate committee he plans to give mail-in ballots top priority; New York City’s pro-transparency law allowing for the release of police disciplinary records can proceed in mostly full effect, and more.
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National
1.) Amid growing concern that the White House is out to undermine vote by mail in November’s election, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told a Senate committee Friday that he plans to give mail-in ballots top priority.
In this image from video, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies during a virtual hearing before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on the U.S. Postal Service during COVID-19 and the upcoming elections, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (US Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs via AP)
2.) “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin was sentenced to two months in jail Friday for her part in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, with the sentencing judge saying he was “dumbfounded” by her “gall.”
Lori Loughlin depart federal court with her husband, clothing designer Mossimo Giannulli, left, on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, in Boston, after a hearing in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. (AP Photo/Philip Marcelo)
3.) The week in which two of the three major U.S. indices hit new record high marks ended on a high note, mostly due to positive housing data and promising news on a coronavirus vaccine.
In this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, traders gather at a post during the Fast Acquisition Corp. IPO, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. (Colin Ziemer/New York Stock Exchange via AP)
Regional
4.) Ensnared randomly by a relative’s DNA genetic test submitted decades after a brutal yearslong crime spree, the confessed serial killer dubbed The Golden State Killer’s disappearing act is up: He will die in prison.
Joseph James DeAngelo, right, speaks with public defender Joseph Cress at the end of the second day of victim impact statements at the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, in Sacramento, Calif. Victims of California serial killer and rapist, DeAngelo want him in a maximum security prison far, far away if he can't spend the rest of his life on death row. But they may not hold much sway over where or how the 74-year-old former police officer is imprisoned once he is sentenced on Friday, Aug. 21. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, Pool)
5.) New York City’s pro-transparency law allowing for the release of police disciplinary records can proceed in mostly full effect, a federal judge announced in a telephone conference Friday.
6.) Indiana election officials cannot reject absentee ballots based upon mismatched signatures without first notifying the voter and giving them a chance to correct any mistakes, a federal judge ruled.
FILE - In this May 27, 2020, file photo, a voter drops off their mail-in ballot prior to the primary election, in Willow Grove, Pa. The civic ritual of casting a ballot has been disrupted by a global pandemic and dramatically animated by social unrest. And If the results of a frustrating, chaotic primary in Georgia are a measure, the notion of democracy itself will also be on the ballot in the November election. Congress is now considering sending $3.6 billion to states to help facilitate safe and fair elections as part of another round of relief funds to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
International
7.) Bond hearings were held Thursday for five powerful men accused of arms trafficking in El Salvador, with the court agreeing to release the defendants without conditions before trial.
A water truck makes deliveries in a locked-down village in rural El Salvador in the days before the left- and right-wing parties joined forces to lift the nationwide lockdown. (Miguel Patricio photo/Courthouse News)
8.) A large share of European Union agricultural subsidies benefit the wealthiest and most polluting farms in Europe, new research shows.


TV Copyright

SAN FRANCISCO — The Ninth Circuit upheld the dismissal of a Jon Astor White ’ s copyright infringement suit in @ @ @ @ @ television series “ Empire ” infringed on his treatment of the television series “ King @ @ @ @ @ the works do not share similarities in protectable expression .


Incentive Plan

HOUSTON — A federal court in Houston approved an incentive package for oil and natural gas company California Resources Corp. @ @ @ @ @ Under the plan , nine of the company ’ s executives could receive , in @ @ @ @ @ $ 57.2 million altogether if they meet certain metrics .
In July , the company @ @ @ @ @ to eliminate more than $ 5 billion in debt and owes millions to Kern County @ @ @ @

A federal court in Houston approved an incentive package for oil and natural gas company California Resources Corp. in its bankruptcy proceedings. Under the plan, nine of the company’s executives could receive, in a year, up to $57.2 million altogether if they meet certain metrics.
HOUSTON — A federal court in Houston approved an incentive package for oil and natural gas company California Resources Corp. in its bankruptcy proceedings. Under the plan, nine of the company’s executives could receive, in a year, up to $57.2 million altogether if they meet certain metrics.
In July, the company filed for Chapter 11 restructuring to eliminate more than $5 billion in debt and owes millions to Kern County in back taxes.


courthousenews--2020-08-21--Six Hurt, Four Missing After Pipeline Explosion in Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI , Texas ( CN ) — Six people were hospitalized Friday and four are missing after a barge struck a natural gas pipeline in a South Texas port , setting off a massive explosion and fire that raged for several hours .
The dredging vessel Waymon L. Boyd struck the pipeline and caught fire around 8 a.m. in the inner harbor of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel , according to the Port of Corpus Christi .
“ The pipeline has subsequently been shut off and the Port of Corpus Christi is working with the U.S. Coast Guard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the search and rescue of missing crewmembers , ” the port posted on Facebook Friday afternoon .
“ The incident is still active and search and rescue operations are ongoing … At this time , there is no threat to public safety.
” The Coast Guard said one of its helicopter crews hoisted two injured crewmembers from the barge and took them to a local hospital .
Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha confirmed the other four victims were taken to the hospital by the fire department .
He confirmed most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Two other patients refused transport , ” Rocha said .
“ We ’ re trying to get a headcount of everybody that may have been involved or anybody who may have been around when the incident occurred.
” The barge ’ s owner , Orion Marine Group , confirmed that four crewmembers are currently missing .
“ We are actively working with all local authorities , including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority , to support emergency response efforts , ” the company said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gather more information our top priority is the safety of our crew and those impacted by the incident.
” The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the barge struck a pipeline , tweeting that it is investigating the collision .
Governor Greg Abbott said the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is monitoring air quality in the area and that Division of Emergency Management and Department of Public Safety officials are “ already on the ground ” in support .
“ The state stands ready to provide any additional personnel and resources needed to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area safe , ” Abbott tweeted .
Corpus Christi City Council member Ben Molina posted on Facebook that four of the six hospitalized victims have since been transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio .
The extent of their injuries is currently unknown .

Six people were hospitalized Friday and four are missing after a barge struck a natural gas pipeline in a South Texas port, setting off a massive explosion and fire that raged for several hours.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (CN) — Six people were hospitalized Friday and four are missing after a barge struck a natural gas pipeline in a South Texas port, setting off a massive explosion and fire that raged for several hours.
The dredging vessel Waymon L. Boyd struck the pipeline and caught fire around 8 a.m. in the inner harbor of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, according to the Port of Corpus Christi.
“The pipeline has subsequently been shut off and the Port of Corpus Christi is working with the U.S. Coast Guard, who has the unified incident command, in the search and rescue of missing crewmembers,” the port posted on Facebook Friday afternoon. “The incident is still active and search and rescue operations are ongoing … At this time, there is no threat to public safety.”
The Coast Guard said one of its helicopter crews hoisted two injured crewmembers from the barge and took them to a local hospital. Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha confirmed the other four victims were taken to the hospital by the fire department. He confirmed most of the smoke was blowing into rural areas.
Smoke and flames rise in the background at the International Grain Port Terminal following a pipeline explosion, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Annie Rice/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via AP)
“Two other patients refused transport," Rocha said. "We're trying to get a headcount of everybody that may have been involved or anybody who may have been around when the incident occurred."
The barge’s owner, Orion Marine Group, confirmed that four crewmembers are currently missing.
“We are actively working with all local authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, to support emergency response efforts,” the company said in a statement. “As we continue to gather more information our top priority is the safety of our crew and those impacted by the incident.”
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the barge struck a pipeline, tweeting that it is investigating the collision.
Governor Greg Abbott said the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is monitoring air quality in the area and that Division of Emergency Management and Department of Public Safety officials are “already on the ground” in support.
“The state stands ready to provide any additional personnel and resources needed to address this event and keep Texans in the area safe,” Abbott tweeted.
Corpus Christi City Council member Ben Molina posted on Facebook that four of the six hospitalized victims have since been transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. The extent of their injuries is currently unknown.


Prison Shopping

SAN FRANCISCO — The Ninth Circuit vacated a ruling in favor of prison officials in a dispute brought by a @ @ @ @ @ discriminated against him based on his gender by not allowing him to purchase certain prison @ @ @ @ @ gender-based distinctions must be rooted in reasoned analysis ” instead of “ often inaccurate assumptions @ @ @ @


WeChat Suit

SAN FRANCISCO — A group of WeChat users filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration Friday , claiming that @ @ @ @ @ of the popular messaging app violates their constitutional rights .


courthousenews--2020-08-22--Los Angeles Restaurants to Remain Open as Covid-19 Hospitalizations Fall

LOS ANGELES ( CN ) — Despite a drop in the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in recent weeks across Los Angeles County , there remain 41,000 active confirmed cases and local leaders still want residents to have the opportunity to dine out at their local restaurants .
In total , nearly 230,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported since the onset of the pandemic in LA County with nearly 5,500 deaths , according to health officials .
From those confirmed cases , roughly 41,000 are considered active cases , according to LA Mayor Eric Garcetti .
Only about 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last 21 days .
“ As I ’ ve said from the beginning of this , if you ’ re thinking of attending or hosting a gathering , cancel those plans , ” Garcetti said during a Friday briefing .
“ We have simply lost too many parents , too many medical professionals , siblings , friends , essential workers.
” Despite the persistence of the virus , local leaders are committed to extending a program that will allow for outdoor dining to support restaurants and other eateries so they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced the city ’ s Al Fresco program , which moves patrons and dining tables to sidewalks , will remain in place until January .
Hospitalizations in the county have dropped in recent weeks to the lowest levels since April , according to the LA County Public Health Department .
There are 1,347 people hospitalized with Covid-19 , with 32 % who are in the intensive care unit .
Five of the critical indicators that health officials track are trending downward , including hospitalizations , but LA County has reported 29 people under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as testing positive for the rare multisystem inflammatory syndrome .
According to county health officials , the condition impacts children who may have been exposed to Covid-19 or who have the virus .
“ Different body parts can become inflamed , including the heart , lungs , kidneys , brain , skin , eyes , or gastrointestinal organs and there can be lifelong health impacts , ” county officials said in a statement , adding that there have been no recorded deaths from the condition .
LA County is far from sending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting the threshold established by the state ’ s health agency .
Counties that wish to resume in-person classes will need to show a testing rate below 100 cases per 100,000 people for a two-week period .
LA County is currently trending around 250 to 300 cases .

Despite a drop in the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in recent weeks across Los Angeles County, there remain 41,000 active confirmed cases and local leaders still want residents to have the opportunity to dine out at their local restaurants.
LOS ANGELES (CN) — Despite a drop in the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in recent weeks across Los Angeles County, there remain 41,000 active confirmed cases and local leaders still want residents to have the opportunity to dine out at their local restaurants.
In total, nearly 230,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported since the onset of the pandemic in LA County with nearly 5,500 deaths, according to health officials.
From those confirmed cases, roughly 41,000 are considered active cases, according to LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. Only about 18% who have had Covid-19 tested positive in the last 21 days.
“As I’ve said from the beginning of this, if you’re thinking of attending or hosting a gathering, cancel those plans,” Garcetti said during a Friday briefing. “We have simply lost too many parents, too many medical professionals, siblings, friends, essential workers.”
Despite the persistence of the virus, local leaders are committed to extending a program that will allow for outdoor dining to support restaurants and other eateries so they can comply with local health orders.
Garcetti announced the city’s Al Fresco program, which moves patrons and dining tables to sidewalks, will remain in place until January.
Hospitalizations in the county have dropped in recent weeks to the lowest levels since April, according to the LA County Public Health Department.
There are 1,347 people hospitalized with Covid-19, with 32% who are in the intensive care unit.
Five of the critical indicators that health officials track are trending downward, including hospitalizations, but LA County has reported 29 people under the age of 21, mainly children, as testing positive for the rare multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
According to county health officials, the condition impacts children who may have been exposed to Covid-19 or who have the virus.
“Different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs and there can be lifelong health impacts,” county officials said in a statement, adding that there have been no recorded deaths from the condition.
LA County is far from sending children back to school due to not meeting the threshold established by the state’s health agency.
Counties that wish to resume in-person classes will need to show a testing rate below 100 cases per 100,000 people for a two-week period. LA County is currently trending around 250 to 300 cases.