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News Observer Bakersfield
Volume 47 Number 18
Serving Kern County for Over 47 Years
Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California
Georgia Senate Races Will Decide the Fate of Biden’s Presidency
Voter turnout is reportedly lagging in the more rural and conservative areas of Georgia and is higher in more traditionally Democratic areas of the state. Spending on both sides has been high with both Warnock and Ossoff raising over $100 million each for the runoff race which ends on January 5. By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor On January 5, a set of runoff elections between Republican Senator incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue and Democratic challengers Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. The early voting period in Georgia ended on December 31. A record 3 million Georgia voters cast their ballots in the runoff elections. Several get-out-the-vote groups traveled to Georgia to participate in GOTV efforts. The 3 million votes cast have broken the previous record for turnout in a Georgia runoff. In 2008, 2.1 million people voted in a U.S. Senate runoff between Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) and Jim Martin (D). Voter turnout is reportedly lagging in the more rural and conservative areas of Georgia and is higher in more traditionally Democratic areas of the state. Spending on both sides has been high with both Warnock and Ossoff raising over $100 million each for the runoff race which ends on January 5. “The Democrats are killing in mail voting,” Georgia political analyst Mike Crane told the New York Times on December 28. Crane also pointed out that 76,000 new voters registered since the November 2020 elections. Controversy over Republican U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocking $2,000 checks for Americans seven separate times on the Senate floor has become an issue in the races in Georgia. The stimulus relief checks are supported by President Trump and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-MD). Over 281,000 voters under 30 have cast ballots in the runoffs during early voting. The number rivals turnout of
Over 281,000 voters under 30 have cast ballots in the runoffs during early voting. The number rivals turnout of young voters in the 2020 November elections. Enthusiasm for that age group is historically rare. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)
young voters in the 2020 November elections. Enthusiasm for that age group is historically rare. President Donald Trump plans to visit Georgia on January 4 to rally voters with 16 days left in his presidency. It’s unclear whether or not Sen. Perdue will be able to rally with the president. On December 31 it was
learned that Perdue and his wife had to be in quarantine after he came in contact with someone who was positive for COVID-19. The coronavirus pandemic is expected to get worse during the month of January. With no national plan for the vaccine rollout, the process has been slow.
sheriffs. Evaluations of peace officers must include assessing bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Police can't use carotid restraints or chokeholds. Youths up to age 17 can't be questioned by police or waive their rights until they have a chance to consult with an attorney. Suspects may be entitled to new trials or sentences if they can show their case was tainted by racial bias. And juries will be picked from all tax filers, a broader pool than the current lists of registered voters and licensed drivers. Governments can't use software to track a person or object without first getting a warrant. Former inmate firefighters can quickly apply to have their criminal records expunged after their release, which gives them a shot at becoming professional firefighters or seeking employment in other licensed professions. WILDFIRES Record wildfires have scarred California's landscape, spurring a drive for more protections. Homeowners in fire-prone areas must further reduce vegetation within 100 feet (30 meters) of structures, including eliminating vegetation immediately adjacent to
structures, though the rule can't be enforced until the state develops regulations and lawmakers provide money for beefed-up inspections. The Governor's Office of Emergency Services must take into account the needs of the elderly, children, those with language barriers or physical or mental disabilities when updating the State Emergency Plan. Insurers must prominently notify policyholders if their offer to renew a policy reduces coverage, such as eliminating fire protection, and get it acknowledged in writing. Emergency vehicles can use a distinctive “Hi-Lo” warning sound to notify the public of an immediate need to evacuate an area in an emergency under a law that took effect in September. Employers can't force domestic workers to work during an evacuation, whether the danger is from fire or the coronavirus. HEALTH AND CORONAVIRUS Employers must quickly notify workers of potential coronavirus exposure. Hospitals must maintain a three-month supply of personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves
Continued on page A2
Educators Say They Must Act During the Pandemic to
Close Widening Learning Gap By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent The lack of a quiet place to work and resources like
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Police Search for Child Left in Las Vegas Casino Restroom
LAS VEGAS (AP) – A 3-year-old girl was found abandoned in a Las Vegas casino restroom on Tuesday and is now in the custody of Child Protective Services while authorities search for her mother. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the child was found at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel-casino that morning. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said detectives had concluded the mother and daughter took a cab to the Fashion Show mall and subsequently walked across the street to the Wynn. Lt. David Valenta, who works in the department’s special victims section, told the Review-Journal that the woman had asked about shelters while in the cab and was later seen leaving the Wynn and heading north on South Las Vegas Boulevard. “Remember, even during these most difficult times, help is available,” Valenta said. “All you have to do is ask.” Police are now asking for anyone with information about the whereabouts of the woman believed to be the mother, who police described as a black 5-foot-5-inch female in her 20s wearing a blond wig.
Ku Klux Klan Flyers Dropped at Homes
These are New California Laws By DON THOMPSON Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ What a strange legislative year it was. The coronavirus pandemic forced California state lawmakers to twice shut down their sessions for weeks at a time _ the first unexpected work stoppage in 158 years. Masked lawmakers tried to limit the number of bills they considered, but still ran out of time on the final night, partly because quarantined Republican senators had to vote remotely. Yet they still managed to pass hundreds of bills, 372 of which were signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Most take effect with the new year. Among them: CRIMINAL JUSTICE As the pandemic set in, so did nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Police killings of primarily Black and Latino men gave urgency to bills that previously stalled and prompted new efforts at law enforcement accountability, some of which failed in the session's waning hours. One new law requires the state attorney general to investigate any time police kill an unarmed civilian, while a second gives county supervisors greater oversight of county
Free!
internet service often hamstrings students of color’s ability to adequately learn during the pandemic, according to education experts who share their frustration about the
“We need to be able to work toward equitable education for all, leveling the playing field for those most at risk of being left behind, and close the gap that data shows are widening during the pandemic. We need to work toward helping now, and helping always,” said Adrienne Oddi, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.
inequities in education faced by minorities and those in underserved communities. “There also may be familial responsibilities like caring for a younger sibling or parent,” said Adrienne Oddi, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. “Homes and residential dwellings are often more congested with family, making it difficult to focus. We see these demands in our own students at Trinity, too,” Oddi further asserted. “It is a problem that isn’t simply at the K-12 levels but also in higher education. One of the main reasons we welcomed our students back to campus in the fall was to help combat inequity issues that may exist in a student’s home. We were able to help provide our students with the resources and space they needed to focus on their education.” Oddi acknowledged that the task is not easy for every student who wants an education. “Assuming students can prioritize themselves and their education is the admissions officer’s equivalent of ‘Put your mask on first before assisting others,’” he illustrated. “It’s a luxury that not every student and family can afford. “But the onus is not on the student. It is on everyone. As the dean of admissions and financial aid, the onus is on me, too.” Oddi demanded that those in higher education need to examine their practices and ask themselves – “Who is here? Who is missing?” “We need to be able to work toward equitable education for all, leveling the playing field for those most at risk of being left behind, and close the gap that data shows are widening during the pandemic. We need to work toward helping now, and helping always,” he said. José Viana, former director of the U.S. Department Continued on page A2
TULELAKE, Calif. (AP) – Some 15 to 20 packages filled with rice and Ku Klux Klan flyers were scattered around a small town in northern California near the Oregon border, according to police. Residents of Tulelake, California found the materials on the doorsteps of their homes and businesses, the Herald and News in Klamath Falls, Oregon reported. The fliers claim the “radical left” was trying to steal the 2020 election and institute a Communist agenda. Tulelake Police Chief Tony Ross said this week that KKK recruitment paraphernalia also appeared in town about four years ago. He said police haven’t identified a culprit in either case. Ross said a person found responsible could be charged with offensive littering but advertisements for the hate group are generally considered free speech and are not illegal.
Nevada’s First Black State Senator Dies
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Joe Neal, Nevada’s first Black state senator and a two-time candidate for governor, died Thursday night. He was 85. Neal’s death was “a tragic loss for Nevada,” Gov. Steve Sisolak, a fellow Democrat, said Friday on Twitter. “Joe Neal was a pioneer, a fearless fighter and a voice for people often overlooked in this state.” Neal’s daughter, state Sen. Dina Neal, and his former campaign manager, Andrew Barbano, said in a statement that Joe Neal “apparently succumbed to multiple system failure” following an unspecified illness. Neal served in the Nevada Senate from 1973 to 2003, according to his legislative biography. “He was always a champion for the little guy,” U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat who served alongside Neal in the state Senate told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2019. Neal was the first Black person to become a major party nominee for Nevada governor, losing the 2002 general election to Republican Kenny Guinn. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in 1998, losing to Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones. Neal’s wife, Estelle Deconge Neal, died in 1997. They had five children, 10 grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
Breonna Taylor Case Detectives Face Termination
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Two Kentucky police detectives involved in the raid that left Breonna Taylor dead, including the one who shot her, were scheduled Monday to face a termination hearing. Detectives Myles Cosgrove and Joshua Jaynes received notice last week from Louisville Police interim Chief Yvette Gentry that she intends to dismiss them from the department. Both men will have an opportunity to argue against their firings at the hearing. The hearing is not open to the public. Taylor, a Black woman, was killed March 13 by police executing a narcotics search warrant. None of the three white officers who fired into Taylor’s home were charged by a grand jury in her death. Investigators said Cosgrove fired 16 rounds into the apartment after the front door was breached and Taylor’s boyfriend fired a shot at them. Federal ballistics experts said they believe the shot that killed Taylor came from Cosgrove. Gentry wrote that Cosgrove failed to ``properly identify a target’’ when he fired, according to media reports of the letter, which has not been released. Jaynes was not at the scene the night of the shooting but sought the warrant that sent police to Taylor’s home. Gentry said Jaynes lied about how he obtained some information about Taylor in the warrant. An internal investigation by Louisville police found Jaynes violated department procedures for preparation of a search warrant and truthfulness, his attorney, Thomas Clay said. Jaynes acknowledged in a May interview with Louisville police investigators that he didn’t personally verify that a drug trafficking suspect, Jamarcus Glover, was receiving mail at Taylor’s apartment, even though he had said in an earlier affidavit that he had. Jaynes said he relied instead on information from a fellow officer. Jaynes and Cosgrove have been on administrative leave, along with another officer who was at the raid, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly. Mattingly was shot in the leg by Taylor’s boyfriend, who said he thought an intruder was breaking into the home.