‘We want them infected’: Trump appointee demanded ‘herd immunity’ strategy, emails reveal

 In a story from Politico, we learn the deep dark secret of the so called Deep State. No, not the Q-anon conspiracy theory nuts, but directly from one of "President Reject" Donald Trump's science advisors. 

From the article:

“There is no other way, we need to establish herd, and it only comes about allowing the non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus. PERIOD," then-science adviser Paul Alexander wrote on July 4 to his boss, Health and Human Services assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo, and six other senior officials.

Mark Saliors needs help! 5 locals depend on income of injured local business owner.

I first noticed Mark Sailors as an inventive entrepreneur trying to lower the traffic and emissions in the town of Arcata California by starting a local peddle cab business. The cabs were a nice way to get around town. I rode in his cab and thought it was a great alternative to calling a cab for a half mile ride. Mark ran into some opposition from cab companies and insurance reg's as I recall. This isn't about that. 

To make a long story short, he has been doing construction and had a major injury and needs help getting by as there are 5 other people in his household that rely on his construction income. 

Any thing you could do to help their Christmas would be welcomed. There is a page you can donate to help if you have anything to give.  

https://www.gofundme.com/f/mark-sailors-catastrophic-injury-crisis-fund?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all

See some of his work at:

https://www.facebook.com/marksailorswhatyouneeddone/

Attorney General Becerra Secures Victory in Lawsuit Defending Medicaid In-Home Supportive Services Workers

 

Attorney General Becerra Secures Victory in Lawsuit Defending Medicaid In-Home Supportive Services Workers

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today secured a court decision blocking the Trump Administration’s efforts to implement a rule that would have undermined the rights of more than half a million healthcare workers in California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Medicaid program, and several hundred thousand more workers nationwide. In California, these workers have the right to collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and training, which results in a more stable, quality IHSS program for beneficiaries. The court held that the rule would have unlawfully created barriers for states to deduct employee benefits and union dues from workers’ paychecks, a practice which makes it easier for workers to stand up together for their workplace rights and to provide quality home- and community-based care to those in need. The court found that the Trump Administration’s rule was illegally promulgated and vacated it.

“When the President attacks unionized healthcare workers, he puts the care of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Californians at risk. Now more than ever, our healthcare workers are heroes serving on the front lines of the pandemic, and should be applauded for their work,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Fortunately, the court saw through the administration’s faulty posturing and sent them packing. This ruling is a victory for our state and for the collective bargaining rights of homecare workers who play a vital role in our healthcare system. Together, we’ll continue to stand up for workers every step of the way.”

In the nearly 30 years since California permitted collective bargaining for IHSS workers, elderly and disabled Californians have benefitted from a higher-quality, better-trained IHSS provider workforce with lower turnover. On May 13, 2019, Attorney General Becerra led a multistate lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s efforts to reinterpret Medicaid state payment requirements and undermine California’s healthcare policies. Under California law, Medicaid in-home workers who are hired by seniors and individuals with disabilities to provide personal care services, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, and transportation, are authorized to collectively bargain. The federal rule would have interfered with the states’ ability to deduct payments for worker benefits obtained through collective bargaining, like healthcare coverage or voluntary union dues, from homecare workers’ paychecks. This would have disrupted well-established collective bargaining relationships authorized for decades by state labor laws and put at risk the care of the more than 600,000 seniors and people with disabilities who receive assistance from the IHSS program in California.

Attorney General Becerra is committed to safeguarding the rights of California’s workers. In 2018, Attorney General Becerra filed a comment letter raising significant concerns with HHS’ proposal on Medicaid in-home workers. Earlier this week, he urged the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt an emergency temporary standard aimed at protecting workers across the state from exposure to COVID-19. In light of COVID-19, Attorney General Becerra called on Amazon and Whole Foods to step up efforts to protect workers by providing adequate paid sick leave. He also slammed the President’s reckless executive order forcing meat and poultry processing plant employees to work without adequate protections during the current public health crisis. Earlier this year, the Attorney General secured a settlement preventing Burger King, Popeyes, and Tim Hortons from using “no-poach” provisions in franchise contracts, which make it more difficult for workers to seek better pay and benefits at competing franchises. Last year, Attorney General Becerra reached an unprecedented settlement to resolve allegations that Sutter Health’s anticompetitive practices led to higher healthcare costs for patients in Northern California compared to other places in the state.

Attorney General Becerra was joined in the case by the attorneys general of Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington. 

A copy of the decision is available here.

Humboldt County Goes Red!

 From the Humboldt County Joint Information Center:

The State of California today moved a number of counties into more restrictive tiers in response to the fastest increase in cases and hospitalizations seen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Humboldt County has been reassigned to the “red” or substantial tier.

The state will require various business sectors to reduce capacity or modify operations, while still following COVID-19 safety measures, including facial covering requirements, physical distancing and sanitation procedures. These requirements are expected to take effect within the next 24 hours.  

This move by the state reflects where the county’s data is today, with a case rate of 4.8 and a positivity rate of 2.0%. Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich said at the current pace, there is concern that the county will move into the more restrictive purple tier soon. “Since the state first implemented the Blueprint framework, they’ve signaled that they could move faster if conditions warranted. Our recent data shows why that makes sense because this virus is moving faster than we have ever seen, and rapid response can help to slow the upward trajectory.” 

“We need to reduce interactions between people who don’t already live together, and we need to do it now. Travel to visit family and friends as well as bringing out-of-town guests into our homes is driving about half of our cases,” Dr. Frankovich said, adding that gatherings occurring indoors between multiple households is contributing “enormously” to case counts.  

Some of the state’s requirements under the red tier include:

Bars, Breweries and Distilleries – Closed.

Wineries – Open outdoors only.

Family Entertainment Centers – Open outdoors only.

Retail – Open indoors at maximum 50% capacity.

Shopping Centers, Malls, Swap Meets - Open indoors at maximum 50% capacity; Close common areas; Reduce food court capacity to 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Museums, Zoos and Aquariums – Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity. 

Places of Worship – Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. 

Movie Theaters - Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Hotels and Lodging – Close indoor pools, hot tubs and spa facilities; Fitness centers reduced to maximum 10% capacity.

Gyms and Fitness Centers - Open indoors at maximum 10% capacity; Close indoor pools, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs.

Restaurants - Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. 

“We simply need to stop traveling and stop gathering, especially indoors. It isn’t safe, and it is impacting our schools and our business communities,” Dr. Frankovich said. “The upcoming holidays need to be single household celebrations if we want to get through this pandemic with fewer hospitalizations and fewer lives lost.” 

To view COVID-19 safety modifications by industry sector, visit this link. For a complete list of requirements in the red or substantial tier, go to this link.  

For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting covidinfo@co.humboldt.ca.us or calling 707-441-5000. 

The Classic Rock Rewind 10-Noon Pacific Today

 Join me for some music if you would this Monday morning. I do a classic rock show on two internet stations and today we are on www.highqualityrock.com and that's where you click for the free player! No sign ups or email needed. 

Follow me at www.TomSebourn.Rocks or for contests, you can email me at Tom@TomSebourn.rocks

So join us from 10-Noon today for The Classic Rock Rewind.

Smoke on the water, and fire in the skies!

 The smoke over our heads in Humboldt County is so thick today you can taste it. The fires burning all around have us shrouded in incredible smoke.  Here are some photos, the first one will be before and after of my usual beach shot and the rock out there. There is Trinidad State Beach. 

The Classic Rock Rewind Labor Day 10-Noon Pacific

 The Latest episode of my show The Classic Rock Rewind will play this morning on www.highqualityrock.com 10-Noon Pacific on the free player at the link above. 

Follow me at www.TomSebourn.rocks for contacts and more info. 

The Classic Rock Rewind Monday 10 - Noon

If the internet holds up my show The Classic Rock Rewind will air on www.HighQualityRock.com This Monday from 10 am to Noon Pacific at the link above. Just click for the free player. 

Follow me at www.TomSebourn.rocks/contacts for more info. 

Tell Me Why?

  The guitar is not my instrument. I struggle with as I do with the English language. However, I did happen to write this song on an acoustic guitar. So with that said, I feel this is a song that I need to share before I try to finish it because I have a tendency to put things off . It's just me and the guitar live into a couple of microphones. The song shares the simple struggles of life and relationships. I hope you enjoy it. Click here for my soundcloud link. 

https://soundcloud.com/tom-sebourn/tel-me-why-take-3

California, U.S. Forest Service Establish Shared Long-Term Strategy to Manage Forests and Rangelands

 Agreement will improve coordination to reduce wildfire risks on federal and state lands

Funding included in the federal Great American Outdoors Act

Agreement comes as Lake Fire burns in Angeles National Forest

SACRAMENTO — In a key step to improve stewardship of California’s forests, the Newsom Administration and the U.S. Forest Service today announced a new joint state-federal initiative to reduce wildfire risks, restore watersheds, protect habitat and biological diversity, and help the state meet its climate objectives.

The Agreement for Shared Stewardship of California’s Forest and Rangelands includes a commitment by the federal government to match California’s goal of reducing wildfire risks on 500,000 acres of forest land per year. To protect public safety and ecology, experts agree that at least one million acres of California forest and wildlands must be treated annually across jurisdictions.

A historical transition toward unnaturally dense forests, a century of fire suppression and climate change resulting in warmer, hotter and drier conditions have left the majority of California’s forestland highly vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire and in need of active, science-based management. Since the federal government owns nearly 58 percent of California’s 33 million acres of forestlands, while the state owns 3 percent, joint state-federal management is crucial to California’s overall forest health and wildfire resilience.

Improved coordination also is key since nearly half of the state dollars invested in fuels management in recent years was spent on federal land.

“Wildfires don’t stop at jurisdictional boundaries. As we respond to wildfires in real-time this summer, improving coordination between the major stewards of California’s forested land will help us protect communities and restore forest health across California,” Governor Gavin Newsom said. “We are grateful to secure the U.S. Forest Service’s commitment to help us more effectively address the scale of California’s current wildfire crisis.”

“Collaboration between state and federal agencies on issues of forest health and resiliency is critical,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. “The Forest Service is fortunate to collaborate on restoration projects across the state and share science and research to address issues to help care for the land and serve people. We are excited to expand our partnership with California to enhance our collaboration though this Shared Stewardship agreement with California.”

The Shared Stewardship Agreement builds on existing coordination between state and federal agencies, and outlines six core principles and nine specific actions that will drive improved state-federal collaboration:

• Prioritize public safety;
• Use science to guide forest management;
• Coordinate land management across jurisdictions;
• Increase the scale and pace of forest management projects;
• Remove barriers that slow project approvals; and
• Work closely with all stakeholders, including tribal communities, environmental groups, academia and timber companies.

Specifically, through this agreement California and the U.S. Forest Service commit to execute the following activities together:

• Treat one million acres of forest and wildland annually to reduce risk of catastrophic wildfire (building on the state’s existing 500,000-acre annual commitment);
• Develop a shared 20-year plan for forest health and vegetation treatment that establishes and coordinates priority projects;
• Expand use of ecologically sustainable techniques for vegetation treatments such as prescribed fire;
• Increase pace and scale of forest management by improving ecologically sustainable timber harvest in California and grow jobs by tackling structural obstacles, such as workforce and equipment shortfalls and lack of access to capital;
• Prioritize co-benefits of forest health such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity, healthy watersheds and stable rural economies;
• Recycle forest byproducts to avoid burning slash piles;
• Improve sustainable recreation opportunities;
• Enable resilient, fire-adapted communities; and
• Share data and continue to invest in science.

The Great American Outdoors Act, signed by President Trump on August 4, will provide critical funding for the Forest Service’s work in California.

North Coast Congressman Thompson Online Town Hall Thursday

 Dear Friend, 

Unfortunately, Republican leaders have walked away from the negotiations on the next Coronavirus relief bill at a time when people in our nation badly need our help. It’s my top priority right now to get those talks back on track so we can deliver the help that working families and small businesses urgently need. House Democrats passed the Heroes Act over two months ago and we have been trying to get this bill passed in the Senate ever since. 

That’s why this Thursday, August 13 at 7:00pm PT, I will hold my thirteenth Virtual Town Hall with special guest Rep. Jamie Raskin, a member of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. You will need to register for this event by emailing your name to Thompson. 

Townhall@mail.house.gov. Shortly before the event you will receive an email with instructions on how to join and we will also simulcast the event on my Facebook page. 

I hope you will join me for this Virtual Town Hall. Know that you can always call my office if you need immediate assistance. 

Sincerely,

 Mike Thompson

Member of Congress

What Happened When a Public Institute Became a De Facto Lobbying Arm of the Timber Industry

This is from ProPublica 

As Oregon Gov. Kate Brown crafted a bill in 2018 to enact sweeping limits on greenhouse gas emissions, leaders at an obscure state agency worked behind the scenes to discredit research they feared would persuade her to target one of the state’s most powerful industries.

The research, published that March, calculated for the first time how much carbon was lost to the atmosphere as a result of cutting trees in Oregon. It concluded that logging, once thought to have no negative effect on global warming, was among the state’s biggest climate polluters.

Read much more at the link below. 

https://www.propublica.org/article/what-happened-when-a-public-institute-became-a-de-facto-lobbying-arm-of-the-timber-industry

Attorney General Becerra Slams Patently Unlawful Trump Attack on Complete, Accurate Census Count

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today issued the following statement in light of the Trump Administration’s new unlawful attack on a complete and accurate census count:

“President Trump already lost in the Supreme Court trying to sabotage a complete and accurate census count. This latest attempt is even more flawed and transparent,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Is anyone surprised that the President has proposed yet another unlawful act by his administration? Get used to it. This is the way it’ll be, on steroids, until the end of his Presidency. He’s gambling with other people’s money — in this case, the taxpayers’ — so he doesn’t care. We care. The Census is not a toy, Mr. President. We’ll do what we must.”

This latest attack on the census comes after a coalition of attorneys general, including California, secured a U.S. Supreme Court decision blocking the path forward for President’s Trump’s unlawful citizenship question, in which the court held that the addition of the question was pretextual, as well as arbitrary and capricious.

About the Census

Every 10 years, the U.S. Constitution requires a census, a count of the nation’s entire population. The results of the census determine state representation in congress as well as the distribution of crucial federal funding. Billions of dollars that California receives in federal funding annually to fund programs and services that support the health and well-being of our communities are at stake. California cannot afford an undercount — it is critical for everyone to be counted, regardless of immigration status.

The California Census Office provides resources to make it easier for partners and stakeholders to help spread the message about the importance of participating in the 2020 Census to communities throughout California.

Census data is protected by law. Under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, census data is strictly confidential and can only be used for statistical purposes. Information provided cannot be used against residents by any government agency or court of law. For more than two hundred years, that’s the way it’s always been. More information about the Census Bureau’s protection of personal, identifiable information can be found here.

Attorney General Becerra Files Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Rule Rolling Back ACA Healthcare Anti-Discrimination Protections

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and New York Attorney General Leticia James, today, leading a coalition of 23 attorneys general, filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s final rule undermining “Nondiscrimination in Health and Health Education Programs or Activities” (Section 1557) of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Section 1557 prohibits discrimination in healthcare based on gender, race, national origin, sex, age, or disability. The Trump Administration's final rule undermines Section 1557's critical anti-discrimination protections for marginalized populations including the LGBTQ community, women, communities of color, and individuals with disabilities, at a time when they are most needed to help address the coronavirus pandemic. In the lawsuit, the coalition argues that the Section 1557 rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the equal protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

“Hard to believe any President would willingly expose Americans to discrimination in healthcare. But that’s what President Trump’s latest  rule would do,” said Attorney General Becerra. “In the midst of a global pandemic, it is critical that our leaders open doors to care and push back against existing biases in our healthcare system. Too many Americans already struggle to access essential care. We don’t need discrimination to make it worse. But this guy won’t stop, so neither will we. We’re taking President Trump to court to stop discrimination.”

The ACA prohibits discrimination in federal healthcare — from Medicaid, Medicare, and the healthcare exchanges, to federal healthcare grant programs providing safeguards against discrimination. Further, the ACA expressly seeks to provide equity in healthcare and prohibits any regulation that creates unreasonable barriers for individuals to obtain healthcare. The Trump Administration's final rule contradicts this and other federal civil rights laws by rolling back anti-discrimination protections for communities of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, those with limited English proficiency, and people with disabilities, effectively sanctioning discrimination in our healthcare system. Data shows that the coronavirus pandemic is already exacerbating racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare that the ACA attempted to address, particularly in states that have not expanded Medicaid.

In the lawsuit, the coalition argues that the Trump Administration’s final rule undermining Section 1557's anti-discrimination protections is unlawful because it:

Conflicts with the ACA and the APA;
Misconstrues federal civil rights laws including Title IX;
Exceeds HHS’s authority by redefining which communities are subject to Section 1557's anti-discrimination protections; and
Violates the equal protection guarantees of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
On April 30, 2020, Attorneys General Becerra, Healey and James led a multistate coalition in filing a comment letter urging HHS not to finalize its proposed regulation undermining the ACA’s critical Section 1557 anti-discrimination protections.

Attorneys General Becerra, Healey and James, are joined by the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. 

Bike Rack Needed For Safe & Sober House Eureka

I was made aware of a need for a bike rack or two. A safe and sober house has too many bikes and no rack for them. People getting sober often don't have a drivers license anymore and have to use bicycles. Some people are locking their bikes to neighbors fences. This could cause some problems for the safe & sober house.

If anyone knows of a bike rack that can be donated to these guys call the business card in the photo below. It's an odd request but someone out there knows where an unused bike rack is.

Jeff Ackerly
707-460-3380

Westhaven Water Leak, Conserve water, Boil Water Notice and System Shut downs..

Press release 5-18-2020
Water Leak, Conserve water, Boil Water Notice and System Shut downs..

Westhaven residents and Westhaven CSD customers the Westhaven CSD has a big leak that we have been working very hard to find since Saturday May 16th. We have had all our water staff as well as neighboring utilities helping to look for this leak.

We have issued a Boil Water Notice out of caution since customers may have experienced a change in/or loss of pressure. This means you should only drink Boiled tap water or bottled drinking water during this temporary period. Customers will be notified when we return to normal operations.

Customers may Email the District at wcsd@suddenlinkmail.com for a copy of this notice.

We are getting multiple emergency water truck deliveries to try and ensure that we do not run out of water. As part of this we ask that all customer's hold off on laundry and irrigation and any nonessential water usage. We hope to make it through this time with as little as possible interruption. If you notice a leak or experience a pressure drop/ change or outage you can call the office at 707-677-0798 and speak with Paul Rosenblatt General Manager.

Starting Monday we will be systematically shutting off parts of the system to figure out where or leak is so that we can expedite the repair process. We will try and keep these periods of no water to as short a time as possible however they may be some extended time periods.  Thank you all very much for your patience and support.


Paul Rosenblatt
General Manager
Westhaven CSD
PO Box 2015
446B Sixth Avenue
Trinidad Ca 95570-2015
707-677-0798 Office

Attorney General Becerra Announces New Grant to Help Law Enforcement Submit and Test Sexual Assault Evidence

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced a new grant program that provides funds to local law enforcement agencies to help with the submission and

testing of sexual assault evidence. A total of $2 million is available to facilitate the grant program.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. That should never haunt a survivor of sexual violence,” said Attorney General Becerra. “This grant will help our law enforcement partners across the state secure resources they need to submit sexual assault evidence for testing. We all have to work together to get this done, to bring justice to victims of sexual assault. I encourage leaders across the state to join us in this effort by applying now for this grant.”

Last year, the Legislature appropriated $2 million in the state budget for grants to ensure that law enforcement agencies submit sexual assault evidence for testing. Any local law enforcement agency within the State of California is eligible to apply for funds under this grant for the submission and testing of sexual assault evidence. Grant funds are designed to supplement existing efforts in order to help meet short-term testing and submission goals. Each agency that receives a grant will be required to report the total number of sexual assault cases tested or submitted for testing. For the current grant program, local law enforcement agencies must submit applications to the California Department of Justice by June 1, 2020. Law enforcement agencies are required to use the funds by June 30, 2022.

Additional information on application requirements and eligibility criteria is available at: https://oag.ca.gov/saesg.

Ca. AG Urges Congress To Renew Violence Against Women Act Protections

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general in a letter calling on Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to help ensure support for programs and legislation that aim to combat and prevent domestic and sexual violence. Attorney General Becerra previously joined a coalition of 55 attorneys general in calling on Congress to reauthorize VAWA in 2018. The programs supported through VAWA include training and assistance to address and reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, along with resources and services to assist survivors and hold offenders accountable.

“There’s no place for violence against women anywhere,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act is long overdue. Alongside partners across the country, we urge Congress to get this done. At the California Department of Justice, we’ll continue to do our part to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and prevent and respond to crimes against women.”

The passage of VAWA in 1994 was an acknowledgement of the insidious epidemic of violence against women in every community across the country. VAWA has provided critical programs and financial support to women in need, but the crisis remains far from solved. In the letter, the coalition

notes that, each month, an average of 52 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner and that homicide is the most common cause of death for pregnant women. VAWA was most recently reauthorized in 2013, but expired more than a year ago. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R. 1585) with bipartisan support on April 4, 2019. The bill has not yet received consideration in the Senate. The rapid spread of COVID-19 in communities across the country makes passage of this legislation all the more urgent. While social distancing is crucial to slowing the spread of COVID-19, stay-at-home measures may pose additional challenges or dangers to people experiencing domestic violence.

In addition to reauthorizing VAWA, H.R. 1585 strengthens protections for vulnerable members of our communities. H.R. 1585:

Enhances protections for Native American and Alaska Native women, by expanding the jurisdiction of tribal courts to include cases where non-Native men abuse Native women;
Codifies important protections for transgender people, including by requiring case-by-case housing placement decisions following incarceration that are not solely based on a person’s anatomy or gender assigned at birth; and
Closes the “Boyfriend Loophole,” which could save lives by expanding certain federal domestic violence provisions that bar possession of a firearm to include dating partners — instead of just spouses.
During COVID-19, Attorney General Becerra remains committed to protecting the people of California. Earlier this month, the Attorney General shared resources to help combat intimate partner violence. He issued a consumer alert on evictions to provide tenants with critical information to preserve their rights. He called on the federal government to instate a special enrollment period on HealthCare.Gov to help people access healthcare coverage. He urged Amazon and Whole Foods to step up worker protections by providing paid sick leave that is consistent with guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, he called on the federal government to cut red tape and increase access to reproductive telehealth care. For the latest on COVID-19 preparedness, please visit https://covid19.ca.gov/.

In submitting today’s letter, Attorney General Becerra joins the attorneys general of Washington, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

Let The Experiment Begin! Red States Vs Blue States, Act I

My last post was shared from Thom Hartmann and reposted. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do before reading this from The Office of the Governor of California.

Attorney General Becerra Co-leads Push with Michigan and North Carolina AGs for Increased Federal Government Outreach to Inform Americans of Healthcare Coverage Eligibility During COVID-19

Increasing federal outreach and marketing to levels similar to those by California could result in 2.1 million Americans who lost their health insurance securing new affordable coverage 

 SACARMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today co-led a multistate letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging them to immediately develop and implement an outreach plan to inform the millions of Americans who have lost – or may lose – their employer-sponsored health insurance coverage about the Special Enrollment Period available to them through Healthcare.gov, the federal Exchange. In the letter, the attorneys general highlight the importance of providing families with the information and tools they need to navigate their healthcare options and access coverage during the unprecedented international healthcare crisis posed by COVID-19. 

“Healthcare is not a luxury. Neither, sadly, is it a right in America. Not yet. COVID-19 has made that crystal clear, especially for millions of American families suddenly struggling against health and economic uncertainty,” said Attorney General Becerra. “The federal government has the tools to help under the Affordable Care Act. HHS and CMS can actively and immediately reach out to and inform Americans, especially those who have lost their jobs and insurance, that they can now apply for affordable healthcare coverage through the federal healthcare Exchange. We call on the federal government to act, this is no time for spectating.”

In the letter, the attorneys general highlight that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides the flexibility necessary to help people wrestling with the loss of their livelihood and their family’s healthcare coverage during this critical time. The ACA requires the HHS Secretary to provide yearly open enrollment periods on the Exchanges to permit individuals to enroll in new or different healthcare coverage. Outside of this period, individuals may enroll in coverage through the Exchange only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period due to certain life events such as loss of employment offering healthcare coverage. Informing individuals of the potential for replacing the coverage they have lost through Healthcare.gov is vital, as most Americans obtain their healthcare coverage through their employer. In 2018, over half of individuals under age 65 had insurance through an employer.  

The importance of this outreach will only increase as the economic upheaval of this crisis continues to expand. A new study by the Health Management Associates estimates that the number of people receiving coverage from an employer could decline by up to 35 million due to layoffs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This same study estimates that the economic impact to the labor market could disproportionately impact the roughly 58 million non-elderly individuals who have employer-sponsored coverage and earn less than $50,000 per year. This heavily hit population could greatly benefit from navigating their options on the Exchanges where they may qualify for subsidies to help pay for healthcare coverage. 

The coalition expresses concern that, without immediate and widespread outreach, Americans who have recently been laid off will remain unaware of the Special Enrollment Period and thus not access needed healthcare coverage. Evidence shows that marketplace advertising and consumer assistance increases enrollment numbers and stabilizes markets. For this reason, states that run their own Exchanges, like California, continue to invest heavily in marketing and outreach to support their state-based marketplaces. Yet, over the last few years, the Trump Administration has actively cut marketplace advertising and consumer assistance. HHS, as the operator of Healthcare.gov, must step in to get the word out to consumers in the 38 states that rely on the federal Exchange. HHS should also ensure that outreach materials are translated into the same range of languages as other HHS vital documents in order to ensure meaningful access to information about the Special Enrollment Period.  

The attorneys general urge HHS to empower individuals and working families across the country to pursue the best coverage option for them, whether it is Exchange coverage, COBRA, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. While the federal government’s promise to reimburse for the testing and treatment of COVID-19 for the uninsured is a step in the right direction, it will not help provide these Americans the comprehensive healthcare they so desperately need and could leave many families with large hospital and insurance bills in the long-run.

Joining Attorney General Becerra in sending the letter are the attorneys general of Michigan, North Carolina, and Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.    

A copy of the letter is available here.

Red States Vs Blue States - Let the Experiment Begin?

The following is a post from Thom Hartman's blog today.

Ever since the Reagan revolution, right wing billionaires have been pouring money into Red states to cement Republican control. Their big issue is how much they hate "socialism" including things like Medicaid, free college, and food and housing supports. Red states are heavily subsidized by federal

tax money taken from Blue states. These Republicans have been arguing against the federal income tax for years, along with opposing food stamps, housing support, aid to education, etc. They also say that "states rights" mean that they should be able to prevent women from getting abortions and allow discrimination against LGBTQ people, women, and racial minorities.

I say, "Let's give them what they want." Let's end the federal income tax, and let the federal government pay for the army with tariffs like they did from the founding of the republic until World War I. Then transfer all the "welfare" programs to the states, where the Blue states on the West Coast and East Coast and a few in-between can form a single giant coalition that provides single payer healthcare, high-quality primary and college education, and food and shelter as rights.

Let the Red states go. Leave them to their billionaire benefactors and their preachers and gun nuts. Blue states can improve their quality of life when the Red states stop mooching from them, and thus provide a Scandinavia-like example of how to create happiness and quality of life right here in America.

At the same time, the Red states can try their Libertarian example and show us what billionaire rule combined with extreme poverty looks like.

Let the experiment begin!

The Real Video I Meant To Share. Spectacular Views Along The Coast Today!

Sorry for the false first headline. I had to convert the video from i phone video to put it up on blogger. Go figure.
It was a fantastic day all along the north coast. The video is just south of Trinidad California at a popular surfing spot. Below is a link to the YouTube video I had to create. There is also audio.

https://youtu.be/6iV28XHvI4Q

Greg Palast On Wisconsin And Stealing Of The Vote Through Purge

The link is to an audio file on Sound Cloud

From the studios of KPFA in Berkeley, California, the Election Crimes Bulletin with investigative

journalist Greg Palast and Flashpoints host Dennis Bernstein returns for another election season. In this edition, Palast and Bernstein go to Milwaukee and Wisconsin to report on election fraud. And as DNC chair Tom Perez continues to obstruct the real results from Iowa, we also take a look at the efforts to deprive Bernie Sanders of a win there. But first Palast reveals some YUGE breaking news out of Georgia…

Click here for the link. 

The Oceans Are Dying And It Might Be Too Late To Save Them

I was speaking to a marine biologist last night about the state of the Pacific Ocean and the kelp beds off the California coast. We were the only ones in the restaurant at the time,  so we hit up a conversation freely without concern for any surrounding ears. 

I told her of my love of the outdoors. My trip to The Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness along the US/Canadian boarder, back backing and stuff. After some time I asked her about the kelp beds in the bay that I had paddled in before my accident. They would turn blue green shiny colors like the inside of an abalone shell but they would glisten as they danced in the water in the sunlight. The kelp beds are also the sea's forest and home to lots of fish and other ocean life. I told her I had heard the kelp wasn't doing well and asked if the kelp in Trinidad Bay was still OK?  

She looked down and said it wasn't doing well at all. 

She said she wasn't very optimistic about the future of the oceans or the planet. She told me she felt that if we had acted about 20 years ago with a plan somewhat like the one Bernie Sanders has proposed, we might have had a chance. 

She spoke of doing a dive a few months ago off the Mendocino coast to remove invasive purple sea urchins with a group of other marine biologists, fishermen/women and volunteers.  She told me she cried as she saw abalone and other critters clinging to a rocky mound jetting above a sea of devouring purple urchins. The abalone clinging above with it's tiny tentacles reaching out, starving for food, clinging to the edges of it's ecosystem. 

We continued to talk about the planet, consumption, solar power, electric cars and other positive breakthroughs. I then brought up the fact that younger people are no longer getting married or having kids because they don't believe the world will hospitable to raise a family in anymore. She said she saw the same trend. 


She and thousands of other scientists have spent years in college studying science, the planet and it's oceans. To ignore me in this day of Trump and fake news is understandable, but to ignore people like her, her colleagues, thousands of other scientists and biologists. and what we are seeing around us is to commit suicide as a species. 

A Valentine's Evening of Coastal Country Americana Muaic

 TRINIDAD CIVIC CLUB

Bring your sweetheart, family and friends on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14th from 7:30 – 10:00 pm to the Trinidad Town Hall for “A Valentine’s Evening of Coastal Country Americana Music.”

Enjoy listening or dancing to the “The Tidepool High Divers,” featuring Bryce Kenny, Tim Breed, Tom Marquette and Tonio Skweir, with guest violinist Bill Hunter. 

A Photographic Art Show will exhibit beautiful photography for sale by local artists Cameron Cather, Kenneth Tinkham and David Safier. 

$15 per person or two for $25 in advance or $15 at the door.  Reservations may be made using PayPal or credit card at www.trinidadcivicclub.org.

Proceeds benefit the Memorial Lighthouse Project, sponsored by the Trinidad Civic Club, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, community service organization.

Please see the attached poster for the event.  For questions, contact Jan West.
Trinidad Civic Club Co-President
tcc@trinidadcivicclub.org
707-677-3655

Chinook Helicopters Over Elk River

Click Here for a link to short facebook video I shared on KGOE Newstalk's page

Left Waiting: A California Workers Comp Story

As someone going through this maze of insurance forms, long drives and denial of service. I felt a need to share this with others that are facing this in the State of California. You could lose everything while waiting for help. This shouldn't happen to people that get hurt while on the job. I broke my wrist, back and neck at work May 6th 2017. I have had a QME and the insurance company carrier has denied the doctors recommendations. And so I wait, and wait and wait. 

This is from CalMatters 

Injured workers in California often wait months or even years to receive the medical evaluations required to get needed treatment, and in some cases to determine how disabled they are as a result of the injury.

The reason? The state lacks enough physicians signed up with the state’s program to serve as experts.

That’s among the findings of a first-ever state audit of California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation, which noted that the state has not increased the pay schedule for expert doctors, known as Qualified Medical Evaluators, in 13 years.

“It’s affecting real workers, and if something is not being done correctly, they need to fix it,” said Democratic Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio of Baldwin Park. She requested the audit as a member of the Joint Committee on Legislative Audit, which will hold a hearing on the findings Tuesday. “But if it doesn’t get fixed, then we can step in and fix it. The department needs to take it seriously.”

Read more from Elizebeth Aguilera at CalMatters