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Los Angeles Times
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Can a county fire a sheriff behind closed doors? Advocacy group threatens to sue for access
An open government advocacy group is threatening to sue a California county that is preparing to discuss firing its elected sheriff behind closed doors. San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus, who serves one of the wealthiest communities in the country, has faced calls for her removal since an explosive November report from a retired judge found that she likely violated the county's policy on nepotism and conflicting relationships. The report alleged that, by 2024, Corpus had 'relinquished control' of the department to a subordinate. That led to a ballot measure last year that voters passed to empower the county Board of Supervisors to remove her from office, which they voted to do in June. Corpus appealed, leading to the scheduled August evidentiary hearing. As part of the removal proceedings, Corpus' legal team asked that the removal hearing take place behind closed doors. 'The county should decline,' wrote First Amendment Coalition attorney Aaron Field in a letter to the county Board of Supervisors. 'Barring the press and public from the removal hearing as Sheriff Corpus has requested would violate the First Amendment right of access to public proceedings, undermine a panoply of compelling public interests in administering the removal hearing transparently and needlessly shut San Mateo citizens out of a key phase of a process.' The hearing is scheduled to begin Aug. 18 and is expected to last about 10 days. CalMatters originally filed a request to open the June removal hearing to the public, a request that was denied. The First Amendment Coalition is making the same request for the August removal hearing. Corpus' removal — and her fight against it, including unsuccessfully filing for a restraining order to stop the proceedings — has roiled her department and the community for nearly a year. Several cities in her county have given her administration no-confidence votes, and the unions representing both her deputies and her sergeants have called for her removal. A San Mateo County spokesperson said the county had received the First Amendment Coalition's letter and would announce a decision soon. 'The county has consistently expressed its view that this should be a fully transparent process, including having the August appeal hearing for her removal from office be open,' said San Mateo County spokesperson Effie Milionis Verducci. 'However, the sheriff has blocked it.' The sheriff's department is still in turmoil, most recently when Corpus put a San Mateo County sheriff's sergeant on leave. That sergeant had testified extensively in a second county investigation into Corpus. The union representing San Mateo County Sheriff's sergeants objected, alleging the sergeant was put on leave as retaliation for his testimony. Corpus denied that her actions had anything to do with the report in a statement posted to the sheriff's office website. 'His temporary administrative leave is entirely unrelated to any comments or cooperation he may have provided in the Keker report,' Corpus said in the statement. Duara writes for CalMatters, where the article first appeared.
Los Angeles Times
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
ICE releases deaf Mongolian immigrant after holding him for months without interpreter
A deaf Mongolian man who uses sign language to communicate has been released from immigration custody in Southern California after spending months in detention without access to an interpreter, a family member confirmed Saturday. CalMatters reported earlier this month on the man's detention. His family requested he be identified only by the name Avirmed because of their fear that he could be harmed by the Mongolian government if he is eventually returned to his home country. U.S. Southern District of California Judge Dana Sabraw on July 9 ordered officials at the Otay Mesa Detention Center to provide Avirmed with a Mongolian Sign Language interpreter. So far, Immigration and Customs Enforcement had not provided him access to anyone who spoke his language, which his attorney equated to holding him in solitary confinement. Immigration agents tried using Google Translate to ask Avirmed if he feared returning to Mongolia, according to court records. They badly misunderstood him, identifying his sponsor as a daughter named Virginia Washington, but he does not have a daughter, according to a legal complaint filed on his behalf. His sponsor is his sister, who lives in Virginia. She confirmed, 'He is home with me.' Avirmed's attorneys with the Disability Rights Legal Center and Disability Law United argued that holding immigration court proceedings without allowing him access to an interpreter violated Avirmed's legal civil rights. They drew on federal disability laws prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities by any federal program, including the immigration court system. Sabraw agreed. 'He has a right, doesn't he? To be able to fully participate in any significant proceeding?' the federal judge asked the attorney for the federal government. The U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of California would not comment on the man's release. Sabraw also ordered the federal government to redo two assessments that could have affected the 48-year-old man's request for asylum. The government did the assessments in a language Avirmed did not understand, the judge ruled. One examined his mental health, and the other evaluated whether he has a credible fear for his safety if he returns to his country. Avirmed was held in the Otay Mesa Detention Center since he entered the U.S. in February seeking asylum from persecution because of his disability. A 2020 assault in Mongolia left him with a traumatic brain injury that causes seizures and memory loss. He was attacked because of his disability, according to court records. His family declined to say how he reached the U.S. It remains unclear why Avirmed was released after being detained since February. He did not have any additional bond hearings, according to an immigration court docket. His attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment. ICE did not return a request for comment. Wendy Fry writes for CalMatters, where this article originally appeared.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Teacher enters crowded race to topple Rep. Ken Calvert, with Barbara Boxer's blessing
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Katherine Aleman, an Inland Empire public-school teacher and part-time chicken farmer, is the latest Democrat to join a crowded field of challengers hoping to unseat 41st Congressional District Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in California's congressional delegation. The race against Calvert, who for more than 30 years has represented Riverside County, will be one of the most closely watched in the nation as Democrats push to retake control of the U.S. House in 2026. The congressman, a Trump loyalist, has been a perpetual white whale for Democrats despite his controversial votes to overturn the results of the 2020 election. This time, Democratic insiders are bullish that Aleman – a mother of four sons who teaches middle school in Corona – will be the one to break their cycle of losses. Aleman is leaning into her background as a working parent and lifelong Inland Empire resident as she works to make affordability her primary message. Along with cost of living, she said veterans' issues and education are important to her as the daughter of a Marine helicopter pilot and an elementary school principal. 'Folks deserve someone who has walked in their shoes, who's had to balance a household budget, who's struggled,' Aleman told CalMatters. 'We have a congressman who really has only been serving himself and his friends.' Calvert will not be an easy target. This past quarter he outraised all of his Democratic challengers combined, pulling in more than $1.3 million in contributions and bringing his stockpile of cash on hand to an eye-popping $2.5 million. 'This massive fundraising haul shows just how energized voters are to keep him in Congress,' Christian Martinez, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee wrote in a statement when the fundraising numbers were released earlier this month. The W-shaped district spans from working-class towns like Corona and El Cerrito in the west to wealthier Coachella Valley cities like Palm Springs in the east. Aleman's fluency in Spanish, which she refined during two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, is an asset in a district where nearly 40% of the population is Hispanic. Aleman's supporters, who include former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, say her deep roots on the western side of the district – where more than 70% of the population is – differentiate her from her competitors. That background also sets her apart from Will Rollins, a former federal prosecutor who lost to Calvert twice and whose campaign Boxer vigorously supported. Former U.S. Sen Barbara Boxer is a fan 'She's an undiscovered star,' said Boxer, who sought to support a female candidate from the western side of the district. 'I've been around a long time, and I never say that.' Boxer, a 24-year veteran of Capitol Hill who, alongside former Sen. Dianne Feinstein, won election to the Senate in 1992's 'Year of the Woman,' pointed to Aleman's successful 2020 campaign for Norco City Council as proof that she can win Republican votes. Aleman, the council's lone Democrat, won despite a nearly 30% Republican voter registration advantage, but lost her reelection bid last November. When the two women met for lunch a month ago, Boxer said she was immediately impressed with Aleman's straightforward assessment of her district's top issue – affordability. 'She said, 'Senator, people can't afford to live here anymore, and I grew up here.' And I just saw the authenticity of her,' Boxer said of Aleman. 'She fits so well into what we're looking for,' Boxer added, 'someone who has lived the lives of her constituents.' This time, Calvert has attracted at least eight other Democratic challengers. Among them are Brandon Riker, an entrepreneur who ran for lieutenant governor of Vermont in 2016, and Anuj Dixit, a voting rights attorney who was born and raised in Riverside County. Tim Myers, the bassist for the band OneRepublic, has already bowed out and announced he will instead run for lieutenant governor. 'Katherine is exactly the type of candidate the Democratic Party needs,' said Orrin Evans, a media strategist working on Aleman's campaign launch. His has helped Democratic candidates such as Rep. Derek Tran defeat incumbent Republicans in tough races. Evans said the takeaway from the 2024 election should be the importance of candidate quality, and that a 'homegrown leader' like Aleman would gain the most traction. 'Katherine's not from Hollywood or Vermont,' he said. 'She's from the Inland Empire.' In addition to teaching, Aleman raises chickens and sells eggs at a family farm stand. What began as a side project during the pandemic to provide eggs for her family has grown into a small business known as 'Fluffy Butt Ranch.' The additional income helps cushion the family budget. She also runs a chicken club at her school, which provides extra food security for students in the form of farm-fresh eggs. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Who is challenging Ken Calvert for Congress Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
New CA Law May Make Your Next Home Search Easier, More Affordable
New California law can make housing supply more available and affordable. The road to hell and housing shortages is paved with good intentions. In this case, those intentions came in the form of the California Environmental Quality Act, passed into law in 1970 to protect the state's fragile eco systems from development. It's not just developers though who identify CEQA as a significant contributor to record-setting homelessness, housing shortages and housing costs. Elected leaders have too, and last week, they were finally able to do something about it. On June 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation reforming CEQA as part of the state's mandatory budget, ensuring the changes would take place without delay. A headline in the influential Cal Matters publication announced on that same day: 'One of the biggest obstacles to building new CA housing has now vanished.' Housing Market Effects 'The impact of these bills will be most pronounced in the state's major metropolitan regions, where the housing crisis is most acute and the supply of infill-eligible land is most plentiful,' comments Meredith Parkin, environmental practice leader with multi-disciplinary national consulting firm Environmental Science Associates. She sees redevelopment being unlocked in underused commercial corridors in Los Angeles and Orange counties, 'allowing exactly the kind of infill construction this legislation was crafted to accelerate.' For central California cities like Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield that have been attracting residents from higher priced markets, 'the CEQA exemptions are designed to lower development costs primarily by shortening the schedule.' As Cal Matters pointed out in the headlined article, this reform means 'most urban developers will no longer have to study, predict and mitigate the ways that new housing might affect local traffic, air pollution, flora and fauna, noise levels, groundwater quality and objects of historic or archeological significance.' Will this heavy legislative lift have the desired effect of adding more housing? Its backers are optimistic. CEQA reform makes the development of more downtown condos possible with their short commutes and walkability more likely. (It will do the same to an even greater extent for rentals.) CEQA reform does not eliminate single family zoning in the state, as some had feared it might, but it makes conversions from empty suburban malls into multifamily projects near single family communities faster and easier too. Dean Wehrli, a Northern California-based principal with John Burns Research & Consulting, and host of the real estate-focused firm's New Home Insights podcast, theorizes about this possibility: 'Typically, a developer will look to maximize the unit yield, however, so again this might skew a bit more in favor of rental, but there will certainly be denser for-sale options too (e.g., attached townhomes).' San Francisco real estate pro Arezou Shadabadi calls CEQA 'one of the biggest obstacles to housing development — even for small- and mid-scale residential projects that are otherwise aligned with local planning goals.' Over the last two decades she recalls, 'I've seen CEQA weaponized by local groups not for environmental reasons, but to block new housing.' In San Francisco, she adds, CEQA reviews have led to 'absurd delays, which then translate into 'increased carrying costs, reduced project feasibility, and ultimately, higher prices for buyers. In Marin, where zoning is already restrictive and land is limited, CEQA has become a tool for litigation rather than conservation.' New Home Purchase Potential Many areas of that northern San Francisco Bay county are ripe for infill development, Shadabadi, says. If the new rules restrict what she calls legal abuse, 'we could finally see progress in increasing ownership housing stock in areas that have resisted growth for decades.' It may also have an effect on pricing, she adds. 'Anything that shortens the timeline and reduces uncertainty helps reduce costs. That may not lead to immediate price drops, especially in high-demand markets like San Francisco, but it should help temper price escalation and encourage more builders to re-engage stalled projects.' San Diego real estate professional Michelle Silverman notes that in the coastal markets she has been specializing in for 35 years, 'builders will still need approval from the California Coastal Commission, which can take years.' She anticipates that the CEQA reform impacts will show up first on urban and inland areas near transit. 'I don't see more homes being developed in our coastal neighborhoods any faster than they are now.' Parkin also anticipates that CEQA reforms will likely spur more rental units than for sale stock. 'It is plausible that for-sale condominium and townhouse projects that have been stalled in the past by CEQA litigation could move forward now,' she suggests, qualifying that they were likely begun when market conditions like interest rates were more favorable to homebuyers. 'While AB 130 and SB 131 are designed to immediately move these projects forward, potentially creating a small, short-term wave of for-sale construction, this effect could be limited and brief.' Environmental Concerns Parkin also cautions that there is still the potential for delays at the local level, and that the CEQA revisions could be challenged in courts. One of the organizations that has already opposed aspects of the CEQA changes during the legislative process – while broadly supporting the need for more housing – is environmental nonprofit USGBC California. This is due to what it sees as 'thwarting the effective momentum and decades-long leadership in building energy efficiency by the State of California.' CEQA reform has been a major legislative issue every year, executive director Ben Stapleton notes, 'We ourselves co-sponsored a bill earlier this year that would have provided exemptions for housing that was leveraging green building principles around reduced energy and water use, healthy materials, improved air quality, resilience, and community engagement.' Acknowledging that CEQA has been misused in the past, he sees this reform as swinging the pendulum too far in the opposite direction. 'In particular, it remains to be seen what the intended and unintended consequences of freezing residential codes will be over time,' Stapleton contemplates. If it's successful in delaying residential building code updates until 2031, as intended, he anticipates it having huge implications on halting the state's progress toward carbon reduction and slowing or stopping building innovation. (California has long been a leader in supporting sustainable technology advancement through regulatory processes; the mainstreaming of ultra-efficient LED lighting is one illustrative example.) Conclusions Asked to predict whether these CEQA changes will empower more Californians to become homeowners, Wehrli responds that it's difficult to quantify, 'but unquestionably, these changes will help with affordability. Every housing unit realized that would otherwise not have occurred is an increase in supply that will help with pricing.' More generally, he adds, 'these changes are welcome in how they signal that California is more amenable to housing development.' *** Author's Note: All interviews were conducted by email between July 3 and July 7.
Associated Press
01-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
California colleges can now pay athletes directly. Why taxpayers may foot some of the bill
Starting Tuesday, California's top universities can pay their athletes directly — a dramatic shift in college sports that blurs the line between amateur and professional play. Schools have yet to say how much individual students will actually make or when checks might arrive, though a CalMatters estimate suggests some student-athletes at UC Berkeley could make roughly $200,000 a year. In some ways, these payments are unprecedented. As part of a settlement to a class-action lawsuit, which goes into effect Tuesday, a school will be able to dole out up to a combined $20.5 million this year in payments to any or all of its athletes. Almost all of the money will go to football players and to a lesser extent, men's basketball players. At public universities, such as UC Berkeley or UCLA, schools could use taxpayer dollars to make these payments. State or institutional funds already support roughly 30% of UC Berkeley's athletic budget, according to one analysis by Syracuse University and the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. Student athletes are already compensated, albeit indirectly. Many college athletes receive full scholarships. They've also been able to earn additional money since 2021, when the state passed a first-in-the-nation law allowing athletes to make brand deals or receive gifts. Up until now, those deals, known as 'name, image and likeness' compensation, were only allowed if they came from a third party, such as a company or a group of private donors, and the payments had to be in exchange for services. CalMatters found that some top athletes have made nearly $300,000 in a single deal by posting company advertisements on social media, though most students, especially women, make very little. The settlement allows universities to pay students directly, and it comes with a number of restrictions on students' compensation and colleges' athletic programs. Students in top athletic programs will now need approval to receive compensation from brands or donor groups. Colleges will also be able to give out more athletic scholarships, but in exchange, schools are required to further limit the numbers of players on each team who are eligible for tuition aid. UCLA, UC Berkeley, Stanford and the University of Southern California are required to participate in the settlement, since they're defendants in the lawsuit. Other colleges and universities in California can opt in. UC Berkeley currently has about 900 athletes but will eventually need to cut roughly 100 players to meet the requirements of the settlement, Chancellor Rich Lyons said in a statement on June 11. Using a mix of current revenue and new fundraising, he said the university hopes to pay $12 million to its football players, $3 million to men's basketball players and $1 million to women's basketball players. If UC Berkeley were to divide it evenly — which is unlikely — that means this year, each men's basketball player would receive roughly $200,000, each football player would receive roughly $100,000 and each women's basketball player would receive around $60,000. Lyons did not mention paying any other athletes, though they could still receive a scholarship and, if approved, certain brand deals or donations. UC Berkeley declined to respond to CalMatters' questions seeking further clarification. Stanford has yet to comment publicly on the settlement and did not respond to CalMatters' request for comment. UCLA is not saying how much it will allocate to each of its athletic teams but Athletic Director Martin Jarmond hassaid that the school will distribute a total of $20.5 million, the maximum yearly amount allowed. USC said it will do the same, said Cody Worsham, the university's senior associate athletic director. He said USC 'will increase investment in all 23 (athletic) programs,' which could include additional scholarships as well as direct payments. 'The settlement doesn't advance California athletes' rights at all' This new payment system may not last for long, as at least two groups have already filed legal challenges. In addition to allowing schools to pay students directly, the settlement also includes a provision requiring the National Collegiate Athletic Association to divide up roughly $2.8 billion and give it to former student athletes who never had the opportunity to get paid because of the previous NCAA rules. Most of that money, 75%, is supposed to go to former football players. Former basketball players are set to receive 15% of the total payout, women's basketball players will receive 5% and the remaining 5% will go to all other athletes. Female athletes from across the country have appealed that payout plan, putting any payments on hold. The women claim that the settlement payouts violate the federal non-discrimination law, known as Title IX. 'The settlement doesn't advance California athletes' rights at all,' said Ramogi Huma, the executive director of the NCAA, which advocates for the rights of college athletes. 'It just stifles it.' Huma sponsored the California bill that first allowed athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness in 2021. That bill expressly prohibits schools and athletic associations, such as the NCAA, from preventing compensation for college athletes, but 'this settlement would do just that,' said Huma. Under the settlement, combined compensation to all athletes cannot exceed $20.5 million, and students may not be able to receive compensation from certain donor groups, known as booster clubs or collectives. By participating in the settlement, Huma said California's colleges and universities may be violating state law. Where will the money to pay college athletes come from? Often known as 'revenue-sharing,' these new direct payments are no different from any other kind of expenditure. 'Schools can use any dollars that they have to pay their athletes,' said Mit Winter, an attorney specializing in college athletics — it doesn't matter whether the athletic programs earn any revenue at all. Some of the money for sports at California's public universities comes from TV deals, ticket sales and parking fees, but some also comes from the college's general fund, which is taxpayer-supported, and from fees that all students pay to their university. In some cases, such as at Fresno State, the portion of athletic revenue that comes from taxpayer dollars or student fees has increased over the past 15 years, according to analyses by the school's student newspaper. 'The school itself may say we'll use this money over here, that comes from ticket sales or donations from donors, but the money is fungible,' said Daniel Rascher, a professor of sports finance at the University of San Francisco. Student-athletes could receive payments based on the revenue of ticket sales, for example, but the office staff who administer those payments may rely on general fund dollars for their salaries. While paying athletes directly may seem like a change for the university and the taxpayers who may foot the bill, Rascher said it isn't really a new expenditure at all. 'They were already spending this money on getting students to show up — expensive coaches, high quality training facilities.' He said athletic programs benefit all students by helping to market the university. 'One way we know it's a net positive is that schools are continuing to join the Division 1,' said Rascher. Division 1, which includes more than 350 schools across the country, is the most elite and costly arena for college sports. Colleges get three weeks to figure million-dollar payment system Although universities will be allowed to distribute up to $20.5 million to its athletes, many won't be able to dole out that much. At Cal State Bakersfield, Athletic Director Kyle Conder said the school will also participate in the settlement, though it doesn't have 'any revenue to share' at the moment. UC San Diego joined the NCAA Division 1 last year and Associate Athletic Director Jeff Tourial said it already plans to join the settlement and pay its athletes. He said the school won't be able to pay out the maximum and that the university is 'still working out the specifics,' such as how much money it will spend or who it will go to. 'Everybody in our world is hesitant to commit to anything because there could still be appeals,' Tourial said. 'There's still so much uncertainty. It's hard to pin down a number in a relatively short period of time.' California District Judge Claudia Wilken finalized the settlement on June 6, giving schools just over three weeks to decide how they would officially respond. 'There are many people in our department who are thinking about this all day, every day,' said Tourial. 'The college athletics landscape is shifting very rapidly. Seemingly every day it's something else.' For Karson Gordon, an incoming sophomore at UCLA and a member of the football and track and field teams, today's settlement is hardly on his mind. Along with a full scholarship, Gordon also made over $20,000 over the last academic year by signing trading cards and through deals with a sunglasses company, a beverage company and various nonprofit organizations. Those deals will now be subject to approval under the new settlement. Gordon said he doesn't know yet if he will be paid directly by UCLA or how much he will make, but he's not concerned. 'It'll all iron itself out,' he said. 'I'm honestly blessed just to get compensation for myself and my athletic abilities.' His focus, he said, is on the field. ___ This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
