March 28, 2021

Oakland announces guaranteed income program

Six hundred Oakland families will be part of one of the largest basic income pilot programs in the nation, Mayor Libby Schaaf announced Tuesday. Oakland Resilient Families, the name of the program, will provide $500 a month for at least 18 months to the families who can spend the money on anything they want to.

The money will go to Black, Indigenous and other people of color, also known as BIPOC. These groups have the greatest wealth disparities in Oakland. “Today begins our community engagement process,” Schaaf said at a news conference Tuesday morning.

Payments to families could begin as early as this spring after the community is informed about the program, families are screened for eligibility and selected.

Families will be selected randomly. Eligible families are those with income at or below 50 percent of the area median income, which is about $59,000 for a family of three.

Read more: https://eastbayexpress.com/oakland-announces-guaranteed-income-program/

March 28, 2021

Sacramento launches first 'Safe Ground' homeless camping site under downtown freeway

For years, dismayed Sacramento city officials watched as unhoused people set up disheveled tent cities under downtown freeways. Now, in a strategy shift, the city is inviting some homeless to do just that — but now in a controlled fashion.

Saturday, under a newly bolted a “Safe Ground” sign on a pole in a parking lot at 6th and W streets, crews setup up a row of port-a-potties and cleaning stations, and city officials put out the word:

“This is a place where not only you can stay without being asked to move every day, but we can ramp up case management and make this a full-service triage center,” Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela, who represents downtown, said.

The City Council recently voted to set up a series of indoor or outdoor triage centers citywide where the unsheltered can come for services and, in this case, set up residence.

Read more: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/homeless/article250261360.html

March 28, 2021

Teacher's profane, racist rant captured on video by mother of Black sixth-grader in Palmdale

The mother of a Black sixth-grader filed a damage claim Thursday against the Palmdale School District alleging a White teacher engaged in a profanity-laced, racially charged rant in unguarded moments following a Zoom session earlier this year with her son.

The claim, typically a precursor to a lawsuit, was filed by Katura Stokes on behalf of her 12-year-old son, who attends Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Magnet Academy.

“The horrible comments the teacher made in the video are truly heartbreaking for a mother to hear and for her young son to hear,” said John Taylor, an attorney representing Stokes. “It’s unthinkable that an educator would mock and belittle this family, and there is no doubt that this incident has scarred them.

“All children are entitled to receive an educational experience free of discrimination, and this video has demonstrated what minority students often face behind the scenes today.”

Read more: https://www.dailynews.com/2021/03/25/teachers-profane-racist-rant-captured-on-video-by-mother-of-black-sixth-grader-in-palmdale/
(Los Angeles Daily News)

March 28, 2021

LA man allegedly obtains $3M in state unemployment benefits using identities of 23 inmates, others

A Los Angeles man indicted by a federal grand jury this month for possessing methamphetamine and unauthorized debit cards is suspected of using the identities of 23 inmates and others to obtain more than $3 million in state unemployment benefits, according to court records.

Edward Kim, 35, allegedly submitted at least 400 fraudulent claims with the California Economic Development Department from March 30 to Sept. 8, 2020, according to an arrest affidavit filed by U.S. Department of Labor Special Agent Anthony Clark. At least 120 of those EDD claims were filed under the names of inmates incarcerated in California prisons, authorities said.

Kim was arrested in November following a traffic stop by La Habra police, who allegedly discovered methamphetamine and EDD materials.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Labor and EDD declined to comment on Kim’s arrest or the fraud he is accused of perpetrating.

Read more: https://www.dailynews.com/2021/03/26/la-man-allegedly-obtains-3-million-in-state-unemployment-benefits-using-identities-of-23-inmates-others/

March 28, 2021

Judge orders Conroe restaurant to pay mom $1.6M after delivery driver fatally struck son

A Montgomery County judge on Wednesday ordered a Chinese restaurant in Conroe pay $1.6 million to a woman whose son died after being struck by a delivery driver as he walked home in 2019.

Around 8:30 p.m. April 2, 2019, Bobby Joe Johnson, 27, was legally crossing the 2500 block of FM 1488 in Conroe, walking to the apartment he shared with his mom, Telina Wheaton, after buying cookies for the two at a convenience store. While delivering food, a 19-year-old Golden Chopsticks driver eastbound hit Johnson with his black Nissan Altima, according to the lawsuit filed Feb. 10, 2020.

Johnson died of brunt force injury two days later at a hospital, according to the lawsuit.

Presiding 248th District Court Judge Kristin Bays awarded Wheaton $1,601,997 individually and $136,323 as a representative of Johnson’s estate. The total sum is to be paid by Golden Chopsticks’ owner Houston-based Mingrun, Inc., court documents show.

-snip-

“Montgomery County has perennially been really conservative as far as judgments and a lot of verdicts that come on out that way,” said Paranjpe, whose firm is based in Houston. The ruling “just speaks really to the merits of the underlying case, and I think it connected to the judge as well.”

Read more: https://www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/moco/news/article/Judge-orders-Conroe-restaurant-to-pay-mom-1-6M-16057005.php

March 28, 2021

Judge: Austin can require masks despite Texas lifting rules

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge is allowing the City of Austin to continue to require face coverings in local businesses weeks after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ended a statewide mask mandate and other COVID-19 safety measures.

The ruling Friday by state District Judge Lora Livingston was at least a temporary victory for local leaders in the liberal state capital who have repeatedly clashed with Abbott over his handling of the pandemic.

Face coverings have only ever been loosely enforced in Texas, which earlier this month became the biggest state to drop COVID-19 restrictions.

“This push to continue masking has never been about laws and enforcement; it’s about communicating a culture of common decency and concern for one another," Austin Mayor Steve Adler said.

Read more: https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Judge-Austin-can-require-masks-despite-Texas-16056479.php
(Midland Reporter-Telegram)

March 28, 2021

Oklahoma City Police Kill Inmate Who Took Officer Hostage

Oklahoma City police officers fatally shot an inmate who took a correctional officer hostage at a county jail Saturday, authorities said.

Officers had tried to deescalate the situation at the Oklahoma County Detention Center, but authorities fired their weapons after the suspect held something against the neck of the hostage, Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said during a news conference.

The correctional officer was then rescued safely and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Officials did not give details about the officer's injuries, but Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley said, “I'm just glad the detention officer wasn't more seriously hurt.”

Read more: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/oklahoma-city-police-kill-inmate-who-took-officer-hostage/2591102/

March 28, 2021

Follow-up: Limestone County Judge -- DPS shooting suspect dies by suicide

MEXIA — A Texas state trooper was hospitalized Saturday in critical but stable condition after being shot near the city of Mexia, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Trooper Chad Walker was shot about 7:45 p.m. Friday while stopping to assist a motorist in an apparently disabled vehicle west of Mexia, about 75 miles southeast of Dallas, according to the statement from DPS regional director Todd Snyder.

Walker had not come to a stop behind the vehicle on the shoulder of the roadway when the gunman, identified as 37-year-old DeArthur Pinson, got out of the disabled vehicle and opened fire, Snyder said.

Walker was struck in the head and abdomen and was later flown to a hospital in Waco, about 40 miles away.

The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office reported Saturday evening that Limestone County Judge Richard Duncan said the shooting suspect has died by suicide.

https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/texas/sports/limestone-county-judge-dps-shooting-suspect-dies-by-suicide/article_80e1e449-f677-532b-a13e-eede63a374bc.html
(no more at link)

Earlier thread:
Texas State Trooper shot Friday night near Mexia
https://www.democraticunderground.com/107852248

March 28, 2021

Collin College 'free speech' controversy continues as a fourth professor claimed she was unfairly

Collin College 'free speech' controversy continues as a fourth professor claimed she was unfairly dismissed.


The Collin College Board of Trustees faced continue backlash from protesters Tuesday night amid ongoing controversy stemming from the college’s perceived mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which labor rights activists allege led to the death of nursing professor Iris Meda.

It was also revealed that a fourth faculty member, English professor Barbara Hanson, came forward and accused administrators of unfairly terminating her employment.

“I am the third full-time female faculty member that I know of to be denied a multi-year contract and continued employment with no due process,” she said to the Board of Trustees.

Hanson said that this was revealed to her at a Jan. 28 meeting, where administrators cited her applying for two administrative positions and three negative student evaluation comments as reasons for not renewing her employment contract. According to Hanson, administrators inferred from these that she was not interested in teaching and was disengaged in her instruction.

Read more: https://starlocalmedia.com/allenamerican/collin-college-free-speech-controversy-continues-as-a-fourth-professor-claimed-she-was-unfairly-dismissed/article_d326ca6a-8cc5-11eb-a01f-97e2ea30e7a6.html
(Allen American)

March 28, 2021

Allen ISD chief financial officer said Allen could lose $3.03 billion if attendance tax credit

Allen ISD chief financial officer said Allen could lose $3.03 billion if attendance tax credit doesn't pass.

At Allen City Council’s Tuesday meeting, Allen ISD Chief Financial Officer Johnny Hill urged viewers to vote in favor of the district’s attendance credit program at a special election slated to take place on May 1.

Hill said that if voters fail to do this, Allen could be at risk of losing $3.03 billion of its tax base.

“Fortunately, if you live in the city of Allen, in the school district of Allen ISD and you’re registered to vote, you have a say in how this election will turn out,” he said.

This special election, which will run concurrently with races for Allen City Council and Allen ISD Board of Trustees, is a referendum on the school district’s continued participation in a statewide funding mechanism called “recapture.” Under recapture, the district uses property tax revenue to purchase attendance credits from the Texas Education Agency, which then allocates the funds to poorer school districts in the state.

Read more: https://starlocalmedia.com/allenamerican/allen-isd-chief-financial-officer-said-allen-could-lose-3-03-billion-if-attendance-tax/article_72580808-8cd3-11eb-9d90-0fa3a0f80093.html
(Allen American)