Power cut two Del Norte County due to fires

 https://kpodfm.com/oes-emergency-information/

Batten Down The Hatches!

 A hurricane is heading north into California and winds up to 110 MPH are going to be possible in some areas. As much as 20 inches of rain are even possible in some areas. 

Moving north from Mexico today this system will continue north and could reach Humboldt County by Monday or Tuesday.

Now is the time to clean out drains, gutters and secure loose outdoor furniture. Better safe than sorry. 

Hurricane Hilary may miss coastal Humboldt as the forecast shows it is projected to come just on the eastern edge of the county. Keep your weather radios on through the weekend to avoid being taken by surprise. Read more about the forecast here.

The North Coast Trader Is Going Away!

 The North Coast Trader Is Going Away!

A local free paper in Humboldt called The North Coast Trader has announced that the publication is ceasing operation. 

The publication was part of the Newsy North Journal which is not going away.

 It's always sad to me to see a local product disappear.

The North Coast Trader was a free paper that put out 25 issues per year. 

See the last issue here: https://www.thetrader707.com/

Attorney General Bonta Secures Convictions in ‘Horrific’ Abuse Case in Riverside

 RIVERSIDE — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the convictions of three people for the neglect and abuse of six severely disabled residents of an unlicensed Riverside care facility. The six victims, ranging in age from 32 to 66, were found malnourished, living in filth and without basic care in a house that did not have the staff, equipment, or licensing needed to care for the residents. Defendants Joel Ombao, Ronnel Tiburcio, and Nimfa Molina were found guilty of elder abuse. Tiburcio could face up to nine years in prison, Ombao up to seven years in prison, and Molina up to six months in county jail. California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) prosecuted the case, after a joint investigation by DMFEA agents and the Riverside Police Department.

“Caretakers of elderly and dependent adults have the responsibility of protecting their patients’ dignity, safety, and health,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Instead, the victims in this case suffered horrific neglect and lack of care at the hands of those who were trusted with their well-being. I am grateful to my hardworking team, as well as our partners at the Riverside Police Department, for working together to bring justice to these victims. Let today’s conviction serve as a warning: We will not allow those who abuse California’s most vulnerable adults to get away with their despicable crimes.”

“We are grateful for the continued partnership with the California Department of Justice to help bring an end to this network of fraud, abuse, and essentially a form of human trafficking of our elderly,” said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. “To prey on the vulnerable deserves nothing less than the harshest consequences available.”

Ombao is the owner of several hospice companies, including the unlicensed Secure Hands board and care facility where the victims were housed. Ombao, his assistant, Tiburcio, and registered nurse Molina, were responsible for operating the facility and caring for the residents. Investigators arrived at the location to find the residents being housed in squalor. Many of them were emaciated and dehydrated and were not being provided the care they needed.

On Monday evening, at the end of a jury trial that began on June 6, Ombao was convicted of four counts of felony elder abuse, Tiburcio was convicted of six counts of felony elder abuse, and Molina was convicted of one misdemeanor count of elder abuse. Their sentencing is scheduled for August 25.

DMFEA works to protect Californians by investigating and prosecuting those responsible for abuse, neglect, and fraud committed against elderly and dependent adults in the state, and those who perpetrate fraud on the Medi-Cal program.

DMFEA receives 75% of its funding from HHS under a grant award totaling $53,792,132 for federal fiscal year 2022-2023. The remaining 25% is funded by the State of California. The federal fiscal year is defined as through September 30, 2023.

Should California's Attorney General Be Allowed To Enforce California Laws In Other States?

I found this story at The Daily Kos to be disturbing. What these GOP AG's are wanting would work both ways. 

Should California be able to enforce our clean air standards in the rest of the country? Should Rob Bonta be in charge of Mississippi's health care laws? Should the California minimum wage laws be enforced on other states? I mean, where does this end?

Read the story and share any thoughts you have on where this would go if enacted.

California Will Restrict State-Funded Travel to Missouri, Nebraska and Wyoming

 OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that California will restrict state-funded travel to Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming as a result of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation recently enacted in each state. The recent passage of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is part of a concerning trend of discriminatory practices in states across the country, aiming to roll back hard-won protections. Many of these laws specifically target and marginalize transgender youth by preventing them from participating in sports in accordance with their gender identity, as well as restricting access to critical gender-affirming healthcare services. The travel restrictions announced today are mandated by California Assembly Bill 1887 (AB 1887), which requires the Attorney General to post on his website a current list of states that are subject to the law.

"These new laws enacted by Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming aren’t just discriminatory, they constitute a clear case of government overreach — and it's an alarming trend we're witnessing across the country,” said Attorney General Bonta. “By preventing transgender individuals from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity, or by denying them access to critical healthcare, these legislative actions directly contradict the values of inclusivity and diversity. These laws pose significant risks for deepening the stigmatization and alienation of LGBTQ+ youth who are already subject to pervasive discrimination, bullying, and hate crimes. In the face of such a gross misuse of public resources, California firmly denounces these laws. As mandated by AB 1887, we are, thus, compelled to impose restrictions on state-funded travel to Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming in response to their discriminatory laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community."

AB 1887 reflects California's policy to avoid supporting or financing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender Americans. The law prohibits state agencies, departments, boards, or commissions from authorizing state-funded travel to a state that — after June 26, 2015 — has enacted a law authorizing, or repealing existing protections against, discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. California state agencies are responsible for consulting the AB 1887 list maintained by the California Department of Justice necessary to comply with the travel and funding restrictions imposed by the law.

Information regarding the reasons and timeline for each new state’s inclusion on the AB 1887 list is as follows: 

Missouri

Missouri is being added to California’s state-funded travel restrictions list as a result of Missouri’s new law, Senate Bill 39 (SB 39), signed into law on June 7, 2023, by Missouri Governor Michael Parson. The law prohibits public school districts, including charter schools, and public and private colleges and universities, from allowing transgender girls to compete in an athletic competition consistent with their gender identity. SB 39 requires withholding of all state funding for non-compliance. Missouri is also being added to the state-funded travel restricted list because, on June 7, 2023, Missouri Governor Michael Parson also signed SB 49 into law, restricting gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Missouri will be added to the travel restricted list when these new laws become effective on August 28, 2023. 

Nebraska

Nebraska is being added to California’s state-funded travel restricted list as a result of Nebraska’s new law, Legislative Bill No. 574 (LB 574), “Let Them Grow Act,” which was signed into law on May 22, 2023, by Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. LB 574 makes it a departure from the medical standard of care to provide gender-affirming care for someone who is 19 years old or younger except subject to rigorous criteria in regulations to be developed by the state’s Chief Medical Officer. It subjects healthcare practitioners to liability, including attorneys’ fees, for providing such care and denies state funding to any entity not in compliance. Nebraska will be added to California’s travel restricted list when the law becomes effective on October 1, 2023.

Wyoming

Wyoming is being added to California’s state-funded travel restricted list as a result of Wyoming’s new law, Senate File No. 133 (SF 133), which became law on March 17, 2023, without the Governor’s signature. The law prohibits public schools, and private schools competing against public schools, from allowing transgender female students to participate in athletics based on their gender identity. Under this law, if this prohibition is struck down by a court, SF 133 requires the Governor to convene an “activity eligibility commission” to create rules governing athletic eligibility for transgender students' athletic participation. This commission would be composed of appointees with no required experience in the need for gender-affirming care. The law permits any student or parent to enforce its provisions in an administrative action before the Wyoming Board of Education. Given the effective date for the new law in July of 2023, Wyoming will be immediately added to California’s travel restricted list as of July 14, 2023.

The State of California recently added Georgia, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, and Utah to the AB 1887 travel-restricted list for enacting similar laws discriminating against LGBTQ+ youth. Once these states are all added, California will have included 26 states on the AB 1887 list. For additional information on AB 1887, including the list of states subject to its provisions, visit oag.ca.gov/ab1887.

Scientific American says super computer to model aerosols

 Stuffs getting real when it comes to climate change. 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/supercomputer-will-help-decide-whether-to-block-the-sun/