In California, Pro-Housing ‘Abundance' Fans Rewrite an Environmental Landmark
Hanlon told Lewis that he was starting a new organization called California YIMBY — that's 'Yes In My Backyard' — that would be dedicated to ending these arduous, building-by-building fights over housing. One of its main goals would be reforming the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, a 1970 law that gives anyone the power to legally challenge nearly all development projects in the state, from housing to highways to transit.
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Gun owners could apply for a concealed carry permit at any Pa. sheriff's office, under proposed bill
Smith and Wesson handguns are displayed during the 2015 NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits on April 10, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by) Gun owners who want a license to carry a concealed firearm in Pennsylvania would be able to apply at the nearest county sheriff's office, regardless of whether they live in that county, under legislation proposed in the state House. To legally carry a concealed gun outside of a home or fixed place of business, owners must have a valid license issued by the sheriff of the county where they live. Rep. Zachary Mako (R-Northampton) said Monday he plans to introduce legislation that would make obtaining a concealed carry permit easier for people who live in rural areas where the distance to a neighboring county seat may be less than their own. He said he is proposing the change in response to concerns from a constituent in his Lehigh Valley district. 'The constituent resides three miles away from the Carbon County line in Northampton County. However, to apply for a conceal carry permit, he would need to travel to his county's sheriff office in Easton, which would be twice the distance,' Mako said in a memo seeking cosponsors for the proposed bill. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Nearly 1.7 million people in the commonwealth hold licenses to carry, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. The number of applications has trended higher over the last decade, according to data reported to the state police by county sheriffs. The number of concealed carry permits has increased from 237,344 in 2015 to a peak of 384,522 in 2021, according to the state police. People older than 21 may apply for a license to carry a concealed firearm on their body or in a vehicle. The process requires applicants to pay a fee and pass a criminal background check. Issuing agencies may take up to 45 days to complete the process. The permits are good for five years. Carrying a concealed firearm without a valid permit is a first-degree misdemeanor if the offender is otherwise eligible for a license. Such an offense carries a fine up to $10,000 and a maximum of five years in prison. Carrying a concealed firearm without a license during the commission of another crime becomes a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. It's also a felony if the offender is ineligible for a permit. 'This is a frustrating procedure that many Pennsylvanians face on a daily basis, and it is an unnecessary burden. With my proposed legislation, it would eliminate the inconvenience so that Pennsylvanians, much like my constituent, can apply at a sheriff's office much closer to their primary residence,' Mako said. Lawmakers have proposed other reforms to Pennsylvania's concealed firearms rules recently. Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Lawrence) earlier this year proposed legislation that would eliminate the requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm throughout the commonwealth. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'This principle acknowledges that Pennsylvanians have a fundamental constitutional right to keep and bear arms … and that no License to Carry a Firearm (LTCF) is currently required for law-abiding citizens to openly carry a firearm throughout Pennsylvania,' Bernstine said in a cosponsor memo. Bernstine's bill would allow people the ability to optionally obtain a license to carry, so they could also carry a concealed firearm in other states where Pennsylvania permits are recognized. The commonwealth has concealed carry reciprocity agreements with 30 states, including Ohio and West Virginia. The latest was signed in June with Virginia. The legislation was referred to the House Judiciary Committee in February but has not been considered. Solve the daily Crossword
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23 minutes ago
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Pat Potts, former OKCPS board president and a philanthropic force in Oklahoma City, dies
Pat Potts, the first woman to be elected president of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education and who later helped establish the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, has died at age 92. Potts and her husband, the late Ray Potts, became bulwarks of Oklahoma City's philanthropic community after moving to the city in 1959. She remained active in that work well into her 90s. Pat Potts' death on Wednesday, Aug. 20, was noted by two Democratic members of the Oklahoma Legislature, House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson and Sen. Carri Hicks, both of Oklahoma City. Both cited Potts' work to improve the lives of children and families, with Hicks calling her a 'visionary leader' and 'a trailblazer in early childhood education.' 'Her lifelong dedication to strengthening families, uplifting communities, and supporting our youngest learners has left an indelible mark on Oklahoma,' Hicks said. Potts, a University of Missouri graduate, was on the Oklahoma City school board from 1974 to 1980, serving for a time as its president. She founded the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, serving as its president and chief executive officer for more than 20 years, while her husband co-founded an energy company and served as its president and CEO. She said earlier this year her work with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation impressed upon her the need for an organization like the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. More: Pat Potts was an advocate for parental support and early childhood education in Oklahoma 'I really learned how many nonprofit organizations that were seeking grants had no awareness or knowledge about how to manage people, employees, financial issues, legal, all the things that a business would need,' she said. 'And they needed to know those things to make their intentions a reality. And that's when I got interested in helping educate nonprofits in ways that would impact their sustainability. Some of them had the idea that if they just had good intentions they would succeed.' In 1980, Pat and Ray Potts created the Community Resource Development Foundation, which eventually was succeeded by the Potts Family Foundation, an entity that focuses on supporting early childhood education and combatting childhood trauma. The Pottses also played a critical role in the establishment of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation in 1984. Ray Potts served as the foundation's first chairman of the board, seeking to boost the fortunes of the district, which was just coming out of court-ordered desegregation and suffering from declining enrollment. "Pat Potts' life was one of service and fierce determination to leave this world a better place than she found it," said Kendra Horn, the president and CEO of the foundation. "As we mourn her passing, we celebrate the breadth and depth of her impact, which extends across our community, our state in ways large and small. We are all better off because of Pat's vision, resolve and example that will live on for generations to come. "A trailblazer, maverick and barrier-breaker in the best possible ways — when she saw a problem or identified a need, she tackled it head-on in a way that brought people together. Her tireless efforts to strengthen early childhood and education have touched countless lives. Through her service as OKCPS Board Chair, the Potts Family Foundation, Center for Nonprofits, and countless other endeavors, Pat's heart shines through in people and systems she nurtured and lives she touched." In 2023, the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation honored Ray and Pat Potts with its 'Unsung Heroes' Award, saying they 'have contributed greatly to our community and beyond.' In 2024, shortly after Ray Potts' death, Pat Potts announced a $5 million gift to create the OKCPS First Choice Fund through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. The fund, administered by the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, supports initiatives to expand early childhood centers in our schools, teacher recruitment and retention, and school safety and security. 'Ray and I always believed wholeheartedly in the public education system, and our life's work has been about enriching the lives of others to build our community and state to its fullest potential,' Pat Potts said then. 'This fund reflects our commitment to encourage families back to OKCPS by leaning into OKCPS's goal of being the FIRST choice. Our gift is $5 million, but we will be reaching out for community help to reach our ultimate goal of approximately $15 million.' Munson, who's an announced candidate for the 2026 gubernatorial race, said Potts — who unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Oklahoma Legislature — supported her run for office. Potts 'encouraged me to make my voice heard as a young woman in politics,' Munson said. 'I am proud to not only have her as a constituent, but also as a friend and fellow Oklahoman. She was a selfless woman who loved Oklahoma enough to make incredible change through her work and the Potts Family Foundation and she will be greatly missed. 'Her decades of public service and work toward a brighter future for Oklahomans will have long lasting impacts. Pat made it her life's work to invest in our youth and give them the best opportunities to succeed.' Potts was also a founder of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition and served at various times on boards for Oklahoma City Beautiful, the Zoo Trust, the Society of Fund Raising Executives and the Sunbeam Foundation. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 2017. Also that year, she and her husband were inducted into the Oklahoma Commerce and Industry Hall of Honor at Oklahoma City University. State Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, the chair of the Senate Education Committee, noted Potts' dedication to early childhood education. "Though we may not have agreed on every issue, I always had profound respect for her tireless work and the passion she brought to her advocacy," Pugh said. "Previously serving as co-chair of the early childhood caucus, I witnessed firsthand her remarkable commitment to building stronger foundations for our youngest Oklahomans. Pat's leadership with the Potts Family Foundation, the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and her service as the first woman president of the Oklahoma City School Board was transformative." Asked earlier this year if she thought Oklahoma was in a good place when it came to education, Potts answered bluntly, but offered hope for the future. 'No, I don't think we are anywhere near what we could be,' she said. 'People are always talking about how Oklahoma is a great place to live, its wonderful people. But we're not building the opportunities for our state to grow like it should. I think it will take more grassroots communication with state leaders about how we make this the state that everyone wants to move to. The cost of living here is certainly a draw. And I think the attitudes of people towards each other is generally much better. 'We have a lot of pluses, but building the people resources in this state … we just do way too much punishment and not enough treatment and prevention. But as Ray and I wrote in our book ("Bridging the Gap") if our reality is negative, we need to build bridges to the positive. … Part of life is managing challenges, but also managing change. Change is ever with us, and that takes all kinds of commitment and skill.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Pat Potts, a longtime philanthropic force in Oklahoma City, dies at 92 Solve the daily Crossword
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23 minutes ago
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Trump set to go on ride-along with troops in DC amid federal takeover
Donald Trump is set to join federalized law enforcement officials on the streets of Washington DC on Thursday as his administration continues its extraordinary and forced takeover the local police force in the US capital amid the deployment of national guard troops. 'I'm going to be going out tonight with the police and with the military, of course,' Trump said in an interview with talkshow host Todd Starnes. Trump's plans were not immediately clear and the White House had not finalized plans. But one person briefed on the matter said they understood that Trump would travel by motorcade to an area identified as being a crime hotspot by the administration in the early evening. Related: Trump administration's anti-woke campaign targets Smithsonian museums The planned excursion marks the latest effort by Trump to lean into the public safety emergency he declared last week to combat crime seemingly in response to a young administration staffer known for his role at the so-called 'department of government efficiency' (Doge) being assaulted in an altercation over an alleged carjacking. It also comes a day after JD Vance, defense secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump's deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller visited national guard troops posted at Union Station and pledged to expand its crackdown. The group's impromptu stop at a Shake Shack in Union Station drew boos, insults and epithets that echoed around the cavernous entrance hall of the Beaux-Arts style train station. It was unclear whether the stringent security expected to be in place for Trump's movements would allow for similar protests. Trump has long complained about perceived crime rates in DC and the declaration gave him an opening to invoke a legal justification to bring the metropolitan police department under the administration's control, and deploy national guard troops from several states. Falsely painting DC as an urban hellscape overrun by 'bloodthirsty criminals', Trump authorized the deployment of law enforcement units across the city – both in areas with high rates of recorded crime, as well as popular nightlife and tourist spots, including near the White House and Union Station. Since then, the White House has also tied its immigration enforcement agenda to reducing crime in DC, deploying US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents and other federal law enforcement on local police patrols to detain immigrants in moped traffic stops. The surge of law enforcement agents have corresponded to a higher number of daily arrests, which the administration has used to argue Trump's move was reducing the number of undocumented immigrants and take credit for bringing down crimes like carjackings and shootings. Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, DC mayor Muriel Bowser said the city had previously had drops in violent crime before Trump took it over, adding an order from US attorney general Pam Bondi compelling DC police to cooperate with federal officials focused on immigration and homeless enforcement. Solve the daily Crossword
