Sunday, August 20, 2023
Thursday, August 17, 2023
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.
Monday, August 7, 2023
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/
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
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.
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Should California's Attorney General Be Allowed To Enforce California Laws In Other States?
Friday, July 14, 2023
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.
Saturday, July 8, 2023
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/
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
Friday, June 23, 2023
Was There Fraud In California's Last Election?
A bombshell report released by the non-partisan Transparency Foundation gives California a failing grade on election integrity and declares “from its failure to maintain accurate voter registration lists to its refusal to verify the identity and eligibility of voters, California by far has the worst election practices in the nation.”
The take I get from this story is that the Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy won his seat in that election that is now called into question.
Does this mean that we have seated the speaker under false pretenses? Is he actually speaker but most of the rest of the results are wrong? I find that highly unlikely. What say you?
Thursday, June 22, 2023
California Attorney General Challenges $28 Billion Drug Co. Merger
For the first time ever, the Federal Trade Commission is challenging a massive drug manufacture's proposed merger over anti competitive concerns.
Amgen, one of the largest Biopharmaceutical companies in the world wants to purchase Horizon
Therapeutics in a 28 billion dollar acquisition. The Department of Justice is joining The FTC in opposition to the merger.
According to CA. Attorney General Rob Bonta's office:
Horizon specializes in manufacturing medications for rare and often severe autoimmune diseases. Two of its main drugs are Tepezza, the only FDA-approved treatment for thyroid eye disease, and Krystexxa, the only FDA-approved treatment for chronic refractory gout. Over the next few years, two of Amgen’s rival companies are expected to introduce new medications that could be strong market competitors for Krystexxa and Tepezza. For patients, the new medications could be safer, more affordable, more durable, and better at preventing debilitating disability.
The FTC’s lawsuit alleges that Amgen’s proposed acquisition of Horizon violates the Clayton Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act, and would allow it to muscle out competitors from the market for autoimmune disease medications. If it takes over Horizon, Amgen would be able to leverage its market power to negotiate with insurers and pharmaceutical benefit managers for preferred or even exclusive access for Tepezza and Krystexxa on health plans – in effect, making it potentially impossible for new, more affordable medications to reach patients.
NEWS RELEASE
(916) 210-6000
AGPRESSOFFICE@DOJ.CA.GOV
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Trinidad Art Nights
The last Saturday of the month through Summer is Trinidad Art Nights. The fun starts at 6 pm and goes till 9 pm in downtown Trinidad.
Venues through out the town will have Art, music and entertainment including arts and crafts for kids and a skate park, games and face painting. Fire dancers July and September to be announced.
Pop up tasting at 5 pm for more info go to www.trinidadarts.com or call 707-834-2479
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Fighting Hate Crimes Close To Home
What makes people destroy something as harmless as a community garden? Racism and hate seem to be the motives in a local incidence of vandalism based on what we know.
In the city of Arcata just north of Eureka California is a garden and sanctuary known as El Jardin Santuario. This public garden and safe space in Arcata is for everyone including immigrants. Sounds great right? Arcata is a Sanctuary City.
Well vandalism is putting a cloud over the public space as the garden continues to be vandalized by...well we don't exactly know who yet.
If you look up the subject, you will find that this is happening all over the country at gardens like this.
The Arcata Police department did send out a press release about the vandalism:
City of Arcata, PRESS RELEASE
APD REQUESTS INFORMATION ON SERIES OF HATE CRIMES
Between July 21, 2022, and June 2, 2023, the Arcata Police Department responded to multiple incidents of vandalism at a community garden, located at 11th and F Streets, which is organized by Centro Del Pueblo, a community organization that advocates for Latin, Indigenous, and Migrant communities.
The incidents included destruction of crops, locks placed on gates to keep users out, and security cameras being stolen. On numerous occasions a sign containing Spanish and Indigenous languages designating the garden as a sanctuary for Immigrants and Native Peoples, was defaced with a spray-painted countervailing message likely directed against nationality, race, and ethnicity. These incidents have been classified by APD as hate crimes, under California Penal Code section 422.6, and remain active, ongoing investigations.
Images from the camera theft, which took place on June 1, 2023, are posted on APD's Facebook and Instagram pages. APD requests anyone with information about the theft and series of hate crimes to contact their Investigations Unit, at 707-822-2428, or, their anonymous tip-line, at 707-825-2588.
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Voting Maps Throughout the Deep South May Be Redrawn
I felt I needed to share this From ProPublica. Please support independent journalism like ProPublica:
Voting Maps Throughout the Deep South May Be Redrawn After Surprise Supreme Court Ruling
Friday, June 9, 2023
Indicted by a jury of his peers
People that support Trump are blaming the Department of Justice for his indictment. Might I remind people that the DOJ doesn't decide who is guilty or innocent. A Jury of our peers does that part.
Why are congressional representatives trying to take down the DOJ and FBI when it's up to the people to decide?
Why are they ignoring the Jury?
The people with the power to set free our poor excuse for a former President of the United States of America are those in the Jury.
Trump has no respect for the rule of law. NONE!!
Thursday, June 8, 2023
AL Traffic on this blog?
If you are a human and reading this blog, please leave a comment that shows you are not artificial intelligence or AI. I have an incredible amount of traffic looking at old stories and stuff.
If you are a real human, please leave a message about how you found the blog and what you think of it.
Maybe suggest a topic for me to write about? I want to see how much actual traffic from humans is being mixed up with robots just checking in on me.
Friday, June 2, 2023
The Sexy Liberal Tour Continues
Stephanie Miller’s Sexy Liberal Tour: Special Announcement!
Live From Chicago just days before the DNC in 2024!!!
Join Stephanie, John Fugelsang , Hal Sparks and Frangela in 2024 just days before the DNC in Chicago!
Democrats from around the nation are gathering in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention in 2024, and The Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour will be there to kick the festivities off in the best and most hilarious way possible!!
The Sexy Liberals are guaranteeing you a star-studded show with special guests, all-new comedy, and an up-to-the-minute experience with Steph, John, Hal and Frangela.
Tickets on sale now:
Saturday, August 17, 2024 8 pm (CT)
The Vic Theater, Chicago
*VIP Meet-And-Grope tickets will be available!
And don't forget that tickets are on sale right now for the Only Sexy Liberal Show in 2023 at The Saban Theater in Los Angeles this coming October. Tickets and more information below
Tickets are on sale now
Saturday, October 21, 2023. 8 pm (PST)
*VIP Meet and Grope tix available!
The Stephanie Miller Show
Twitter: @SexyLiberalTour
Instagram: @SexyLiberalTour
Site: https://sexyliberal.com/tour/
Thursday, May 18, 2023
The US Has A Nursing Home Staffing Crisis
A shortage of Nursing Home staff which are mostly women and minorities, is creating a crisis in the industry. Covid and the country's aging population are part of the problem but there is more. As baby boomers age, there are more and more people in need of care and fewer people stepping in to fill the shortages. Covid-19 was a big part of this but cannot be blamed for all of the problems.
From Democratic Representative Steven Horford of Nevada and Kay Henry at The Hill
The connection between staffing levels, safety and quality of care is well established, and current low staffing rates contribute to racial health disparities for nursing home residents. For instance, of homes where Medicaid pays for more than 71 percent of beds, nearly half (49 percent) have low staffing levels. About 21 percent of the residents in these homes are Black, well above the 13 percent average for all homes. A 2022 analysis details how lower staffing rates in Medicaid-funded facilities contribute to racial health disparities.
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What’s more, this crisis is rooted in the systemic racism of our care infrastructure. More than half of CNAs are people of color, and 90 percent are women. Yet despite nursing homes receiving billions of dollars from the Provider Relief Fund and other COVID-19 funding, real wages for CNAs actually declined from 2020 to 2021, a blatant example of how employers have long dismissed this workforce.
Read More If you dare.
A Chance To Save AM Radio
Save AM Radio in Cars Legislation Introduced
The bill – sponsored by a bi-partisan, bi-cameral group including Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Ted Cruz (R-TX),Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and J.D. Vance (R-OH), and Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ-7), Rob Menendez (D-NJ-8) and Maria Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-3) – would “direct federal regulators to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.”
Specifically, the bill would do three things: 1) Direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a rule that requires automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their vehicles without a separate or additional payment, fee, or surcharge;
2) Require any automaker that sells vehicles without access to AM broadcast radio before the effective date of the NHTSA regulation to clearly disclose to consumers that the vehicle lacks access to AM broadcast radio; and
3) Direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study whether alternative communication systems could fully replicate the reach and effectiveness of AM broadcast radio for alerting the public to emergencies. NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt comments, “NAB commends Sens. Markey,
Cruz, Baldwin, Fischer, Luján and Vance, and Reps. Gottheimer, Westerman, Kean, Menendez and Gluesenkamp Perez, for their leadership in advocating for AM radio listeners.
4)This legislation ensures that the tens of million Americans who depend on AM radio for news, entertainment and critical safety information each month can continue to have access to this reliable communications medium.
As the backbone of the Emergency Alert System, AM radio is instrumental in promptly disseminating vital information across all mediums during crises, ensuring that communities remain safe and well-informed.
America’s local broadcasters applaud the bill’s authors and supporters for recognizing AM radio's critical role in our nation’s public safety infrastructure.”
UPDATE on 5-24-2023 Axios News
What they're saying: "The importance of AM radio during large-scale emergencies cannot be underestimated, and it has, without a doubt and without interruption, saved lives and kept our communities informed," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), the lead sponsor in the House.
"When the cellphone runs out, the internet gets cut off, or the television doesn't work because of no electricity or power to your house, you can still turn on your AM radio."
Also New York Daily News says Ford to keep putting AM radios in cars.
Monday, May 15, 2023
About That So Called "Faith Based Healthcare".
I have been hearing commercials for years now on the radio that promote this bad alternative to the Affordable Care Act which many conservatives call "Obama Care".
One company called "Liberty Healthshare" has enriched themselves while pretending to be a legitimate Health Insurance company.
A ProPublica article shows how this scam has worked to keep people from not only from legitimate healthcare, it has also kept people from their money.
Monday, May 8, 2023
Talk Radio Is Dying
ESPN Sports talk is loosing market share. Newstalk Radio is also suffering market share.
The list of shows below were offered to radio stations via satellite from just one company, Westwood One.
Programs that will no longer air on XDS after May 31, 2023 are:
• America at Night/America at Night Weekend
• America in the Morning
• America this Week
• American Country Countdown
• AP News
• Ben Shapiro/Ben Shapiro Weekend
• Bob & Tom/Bob & Tom Weekend
• CBS Sports 24-7/CBS Sports Minutes
• Chris Plante/Chris Plante Weekend
• CNBC Business Reports
• Daly Download CHR & HAC
• Flashback
• Kidd Kraddick
• Mark Levin
• Matt Walsh
• Meet the Press
• Michael Knowles
• Nights with Elaina/Nights with Elaina Weekend
• Real Estate Today
• Red Eye Radio
• Rich Eisen
• Sanjay Gupta
• The Bert Show/Bert Show Best Of
• Weekends with Roula
• With Elaina
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Cruse Ship In Humboldt Bay!
CRUISE SHIP SCENIC ECLIPSE DOCKING IN HUMBOLDT
BAY ON SUNDAY, MAY 7TH, 2023
Eureka will welcome the Scenic Eclipse and its 256 passengers back to Humboldt Bay this Sunday, May 7th at 1:00 PM. The ship will be led into the harbor by a boat parade followed by a private welcome party at Schneider dock.
Ship guests will have the option to enjoy Old Town Eureka, the Redwood Skywalk, the Humboldt Botanical Garden, or a Pacific Coastline Hiking Tour provided by Pacific Outfitters between 2:00 to 6:00 PM. An excursion catalog is continuing to be developed to share what Humboldt County has to offer to incoming cruise ships.
The cruise visit and welcome party are a collaborative effort planned by the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District, the City of Eureka, Eureka Main Street, Humboldt County Office of Economic Development, Visit Humboldt, Petrusha Pilots, Coos Bay Tugs and Zerlang and Zerlang Marine Services. Special thanks to Chet Albin, Dave Schneider and Schneider Dock.
The ship is expected to be visible around noon on Sunday; local citizens can watch the arrival from the Del Norte Street pier, the Park and Ride at Herrick Avenue and the Samoa boat ramp at the north jetty.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Stand Your Ground Or Murder?
America is a sick society. People are killing their neighbors simply for stepping on their property.
Shooting kids and using firearms against your fellow Americans is a right of passage for some demented, sick gun owners. Adults that think children deserve to die simply because their ball bounced across the property line are feeling justified by sick GOP gun supporters and politicians.
Anyone that supports these people are culpable and should be held accountable. You can keep your thoughts and prayers. For one, you are not thinking clearly and two, your prayers are not being answered.
It's time for gun owners to take responsibility for their actions. It's time for politicians to stop supporting the gun lobby and mentally ill people over children and the innocent.
If you support this slaughter, you are a part of the problem. If you support and vote for politicians that support or turn a blind eye to this violence, you are also part of the problem.
If you support forcing women to give birth but allow that child to be mowed down by mentally ill people with firearms, you are a hypocrite.
Grown men scared sh*tless of people they have never met are clearly too unstable to own a firearm. We need to stop worshiping guns and focus more on making our country great again.
After all isn't that what even Trump said?
We can do better but it is a choice that has been left up to us as citizens. Our leaders don't get elected by people that don't support them. So stop supporting leaders that enable this sick violence that is ruining the lives of our neighbors.
https://www.rawstory.com/man-shoots-6-year-old/
Friday, April 14, 2023
Tomorrow Is Tax Day, Don't Get Scammed
From California Attorney General Bonta
Ahead of Tax Day, Attorney General Bonta Warns Californians About Tax Fraud Scams, Other Government Imposter Scams
OAKLAND – Ahead of Tax Day, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert warning Californians about common tax fraud scams that are particularly prevalent during tax season. Tax fraud scams are a variety of scams commonly known as government imposter scams, which occur when a person claims to be a government employee in order to obtain a victim’s personal information or for financial gain. This can occur through various forms of communication including phone calls, text messages, email, social media, or mail. In today’s alert, Attorney General Bonta provides Californians filing taxes with tips to avoid falling victim to tax fraud scams and other government imposter scams.
“Year after year, scammers see tax season as an opportunity to take advantage of California taxpayers, steal their personal information, and jeopardize their finances,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This tax season, I urge all Californians to take steps to protect themselves from becoming a victim of tax fraud.”
Types of Tax Fraud Scams
Tax-related scams take on various forms and show up every year, especially around tax season. The most common tax-related scams include:
- Fake IRS Phone Calls Demanding Money: Scammers will call you claiming that they are from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and say that you owe them money. The scammer will harass you and use high-pressure tactics claiming that you will be arrested, deported, or will lose your driver’s license if you don’t pay right now. Sometimes the scammer will even know your Social Security number or fake the caller ID so that it looks like they are calling from the IRS or FTB. They may even make follow-up calls that look like they are from the police or DMV.
- Fake IRS Emails: Scammers will send out "phishing" emails that look like they are from the IRS or FTB and claim that you either owe money or are due a refund. They will include links to official-looking websites and ask for either money outright or personal information that will allow them to steal your identity.
- Stolen Refunds: Identity thieves will use stolen personal information to file false tax returns in your name and steal your refunds. Scammers will usually file early in the tax season, before you get to it. You won’t learn about the theft until you try to file your taxes.
Protect Yourself from Tax Fraud Scams
- Protect your personal information: Never provide personal information, such as your Social Security number or bank account information, to someone you do not know.
- Be wary of unsolicited communication: As a rule of thumb, real government officials will never ask for payment in the form of gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, Internet currency, or by mailing cash.
- Hang up the phone: While in some cases the IRS or FTB may call a person who owes taxes, the agencies only do so after they have tried to contact you by mail. If you suspect a scam call, immediately hang up or do not respond. The longer you stay on the line, the more likely you are to fall victim to a scam.
- Find a trusted tax preparer: To confirm whether your tax preparer is registered with the IRS, check here. Visit the Better Business Bureau and other review sites to compare consumer reviews and complaints. To make a complaint with the IRS about a tax preparer, click here.
- File your own taxes: Depending on your income, you may be eligible to file your taxes for free using guided tax preparation software. Click here for a list of IRS Free File partners.
- Use a strong password: When preparing your tax return for electronic filing, be sure to use a unique strong password for your online filing accounts. A strong password is eight or more characters, including letters, numbers, and symbols. Use a unique password for each of your tax filing accounts.
- Never sign a blank return: Do not use a tax preparer who asks you to sign a blank tax form.
- Talk to friends and family: Always seek a second opinion from your friends and family.
Attorney General Bonta is committed to safeguarding the assets and finances of Californians from fraudulent individuals. Last month, Attorney General Bonta issued a consumer alert reminding California military service members, veterans, and families about their financial protections under California law. In February, Attorney General Bonta issued a consumer alert warning Californians to beware of romance scams, reminding Californians to exercise caution in their dealings with strangers online.
The filing deadline to submit 2022 tax returns for most taxpayers is April 18, 2023. If you suspect you have been a victim of a tax-related scam, report the scam and any losses to the Internal Revenue Service and/or the California Franchise Tax Board. For more information and resources on tax fraud and other government imposter scams, visit our website at www.oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/taxes.
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Progressive Talk Radio Scores Wins In Chicago And Wisconsin
Wisconsin's Supreme Court was the only state wide race on the ballot in Tuesday's Election. Conservatives were in the majority when it came to the states Supreme Court but all that changed with this latest election.
So what happened in Wisconsin to make change like this possible? Radio.
Followers of Progressive Talk in Eureka California know that in February the only Progressive Commercial Talk Station in the market, KGOE AM 1480 & 92.7 FM flipped it's format to oldies music. This left a void in the market that has yet to be filled.
On the other hand, a group called Civic Media invested heavily in buying radio stations all over the state of Wisconsin. One of their shows "The Devil's Advocates" were aired in Eureka on KGOE.
Their hyper local group of 11 radio stations blanket the state and most of the are progressive talk formats. They do local sports and even local music on some of the stations and it seems to be paying off not only for Civic Media, but also for progressives in Wisconsin, Minnesota and even Chicago where a progressive Mayor was elected.
While conservatives have almost owned talk radio since the Rush Limbaugh days, they haven't given up just because Rush has passed on. They are now buying stations and flipping them to right wing Spanish Language stations.
You can read more about the election here at The Hill
You can learn more about Civic Media Here They also stream and have an app so anyone can listen, even people living in conservative regions.
Their Madison Station 92.7 Mad Radio airs Thom Hartmann and Stephanie Miller live via app or stream before going local. I share that because those shows were popular here in Eureka.
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Faith Based Healthcare Is A Lack Of Both
They are not happy unless they can control you.
Even though so called Christians can access health care through their own "Health Share" accounts with faith based directives that exclude things that "Christians" don't like. They choose to take away access for others based on their divine relationship with god rather than help people.
These folks make a mockery of their so called "faith based health directives". If these work for them, why do they need to get involved with people that are not in their churchy circles?
A Federal Judge in Texas, Judge O'Connor has decided that the rest of us must lose our coverage for some life saving care.
There are some that believe this is what Jesus or God would want. It doesn't really matter what you want. So called Christian Conservatives believe it is their duty to take choices away from people. Choices like who they marry, what they read, what they wear and and what sexual positions and candidates are approved by their unelected hierarchy.
According to Forbes, Judge O'Connor's ruling also voids required coverage for other "preventive services," including "screenings for such cancers as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancer, diabetes screenings, various screenings and interventions for pregnant people, statin use to prevent cardiovascular disease, vision screening for children and more.
"These "Christians" and their so called faith based healthcare systems work best when they have control over the rest of our personal health choices.
Thursday, February 23, 2023
No News Here
I used to be in the news business. I would get on the radio and tell you about such things as Highway 101 being completely closed north of Trinidad, not once but twice since I have been out of the business.
A wind event caused downed trees to close the road earlier in the year and today, it's a coastal snow event.
US 101 is closed north of Eureka this morning due to snow between Trinidad and Klamath.
But instead of that news, how about some snow pictures?
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Royal Canadian Airforce
Eureka was just buzzed by a large grey plane that appears to be from The Royal Canadian Airforce.
The plane was flying as low as 75 feet above the coast.
Monday, February 6, 2023
Help With Heat Could Be On It's Way!
Natural Gas Rebate could be on it's way for Californian's.
SACRAMENTO – As millions of California families experience soaring gas utility bills, Governor Gavin Newsom took action today urging the federal government to investigate the recent price spike affecting the Western U.S. and highlighted the state’s action to provide relief to Californians.
In a letter to the federal agency responsible for regulating wholesale natural gas, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Governor requested that the agency “immediately focus its investigatory resources on assessing whether market manipulation, anticompetitive behavior, or other anomalous activities are driving these ongoing elevated prices in the western gas markets.”
Additionally, millions of Californians will soon see relief from high utility bills – with credits of $90 to $120 showing up on gas and electric bills as soon as next month.
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Thursday, February 2, 2023
Talk Becomes A Juke Box
For over 20 years, I have been involved with KGOE as a part of Bicoastal Media's Eureka Ca. operation.
The signal goes way back to KIEM in the late 1930's which later became a TV station. It had several formats and call letters as the origins of KRED. The 1480 signal used to be home to Rollin and Dana both DJ's still on in Eureka. They tell a story about being live on air together one stormy morning and banter in the studio led to one of them saying in response to something mentioned on the show if it didn't happen "may god strike me dead". Just then a bolt of lightning hit the north tower of the am signal that in those days went from Eureka to the Golden Gate Bridge along the coast. It was a north and south signal that went away that day. Since then the station was relicensed to broadcast in a more circular pattern.
When I started, KGOE was a simulcast of KGO out of San Francisco. When the feed went down we dialed a phone and coupled it but the sound wasn't great when that happened. The Ownership wanted to create it's own talk station and they called it Extreme Talk and a couple of shows didn't go over so well. Tom Leykis was one of them.
Recently the station got a FM translator at 92.7 FM in Eureka. Even with this, the format was not as easy to sell for our sales staff as music and sports.
Enter in a new General Manager for the cluster of stations and the numbers showed they either need to make a change or let the signal go dark like many other AM stations in the country.
I feel for the older listeners that don't have smart phones or computers and rely on broadcast for their information and entertainment. KGOE was not only entertaining most of the time, it was also very informative for a free product over the air.
Unlike some format changes, changing live talk to canned music can feel like a huge disconnect.
I too miss my talk radio host friends. Many of them I have had conversations and done business with for two decades.
Just know that the shows that we dropped are now available to any other station in the Eureka/Humboldt County market to pick up. If someone from another station is interested in any of the shows we used to carry locally they can contact me at thomassebourn@gmail.com and I will help them get in touch with the various shows for local airing.
Thanks for the great run on KGOE! I feel blessed and lucky to have been such a big part of something so positive and informative. I have learned a lot but wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
I will still be doing things for Bicoastal Media in Eureka and would like to note that another Bicoastal Media station in Coos Bay Oregon carries Stephanie Miller and Thom Hartmann live which can be listened to via internet at this address: https://1340kbbr.com/
Thanks again for listening and I hope you enjoy the new station KEJB 1480 The Juke Box.
Tom Sebourn former Program Director of KGOE in Eureka Ca.
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Changes Are On The Way
Some big changes are coming. I can't say what or why yet but many local readers of this blog may notice them in February.
I will have more about this in a few days. Until then as they say, stay tuned and be well.
