All posts by Roger Straw

Editor, owner, publisher of The Benicia Independent
2020 elections, Benicia elections, Campaign finance, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero PAC

Valero’s pet labor union kicks in another $24,000 on Nov. 2 to help buy Benicia’s next Mayor

Total Independent Expenditure funding for 2020 now at $249,000

By Roger Straw, November 3, 2020

Reporting on forms required by Benicia ordinance, the Valero PAC that is attempting to buy the Benicia Mayor race detailed a new contribution of $24,000 on  November 2.

The new money comes from an independent expenditure committee (PAC) formed by the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, forgers & Helpers Local 549.  It is interesting that this ultra-conservative labor group has been convinced to jump in with Valero, which is a non-union corporation.  It’s not the first time – this PAC contributed heavily to Valero’s 2018 smear campaign against Kari Birdseye.

I wonder how many of the Sacramento-based Brotherhood PAC decision-makers live in Benicia or even work at Valero?  I’d guess the decision was made by a small group of highly-paid executives who have rarely if ever set foot in Benicia.  And one might wonder where and who their FUNDING comes from??

Cumulative Valero PAC contributions to date: over $249,000.  (COMPARE: All candidates running for Benicia mayor and Council who pledge to run fair campaigns may not spend over $34,200 on their own campaigns.)

Cumulative Valero PAC spending to date: over $214,000.  (AGAIN COMPARE: All candidates running for Benicia mayor and Council who pledge to run fair campaigns may not spend over $34,200 on their own campaigns.)

REFERENCE: Valero PAC Financial Disclosures – City of Benicia website

Source: from the City of Benicia website, 2020 Campaign Finance Reports

FURTHER REFERENCE: BENICIA MUNICIPAL CODE ORDINANCES ON FAIR ELECTIONS

2020 elections, Benicia elections, Benicia Mayor, Campaign finance, Steve Young, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero PAC

Valero spends another $5,000 for last minute live calls in effort to buy Benicia Mayor race

Total now over $214,000 to buy Benicia’s 2020 Mayor’s race

On Saturday, October 31, The Valero PAC reported another payment of $5,000 to the Washington, D.C. based company Winning Connections for scripted live phone calls to Benicia residents to get out the vote for Valero’s chosen candidate.

The report, filed according to law with the City of Benicia and posted on the City’s website, shows the $5,000 expenditure and a 3-page script.  The script includes proper pronunciation of “Benicia” for the out-of -state callers, (ben-ee-sh-a).

Benicia  residents have largely been outraged and outspoken about the huge influx of outside money from the massive Texas-based corporation and a local labor union that is considered to be in the pocket of it’s primary employer, Valero.

All local candidates have expressed disapproval of Valero’s attempt to influence our election, including the candidate Valero hopes to buy.

Valero’s primary purpose is to defeat current City Council member and Mayoral candidate Steve Young.  Young has been endorsed by the Benicia Independent and many other local individuals and groups.  See SteveYoungForMayor.org.

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Solano County CA

Solano County COVID weekend spike: over 55 cases per day, 7-day average test rate at 6.9%

[Source: Solano County Coronavirus Dashboard.  For a complete archive of day by day data, see my Excel ARCHIVE.]

Monday, November 2: 167 new cases over the weekend, no new deaths, 3 new hospitalizations.  Since the outbreak began: 7,801 cases, 532 hospitalized, 76 deaths.Compare previous report, Friday, Oct. 30:Summary

  • Solano County reported 167 new cases over the weekend, about 56 per day, much higher than average of late.  Total of 7,801 cases since the outbreak started.
  • Deaths – no new deaths reported today.  Total of 76 Solano deaths since the pandemic began.
  • Active cases – Solano reported 3 fewer ACTIVE case today, total of 393.  Note that only 26 of these 393 people are hospitalized, so there are a lot of infected folks out among us, hopefully quarantined.  Is the County equipped to contact trace so many infected persons?  Who knows?  To my knowledge, Solano County has offered no reports on contact tracing.
  • Hospitalizations – Solano County reported the number of currently hospitalized persons decreased by 1 over the weekend, total of 26.  Last week, TOTAL hospitalized since the outbreak began INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, adding 106 previously unreported hospitalizations!  Today the numbers increased by 3, total of 532 hospitalized since the outbreak began.  For manual calculation of total, see age group stats below.
  • ICU Beds – The County reported a rise in ICU beds available today, up from 38% to 41%.  (Still no information about availability of ventilators.)

Positive Test Rate

Solano County reported today that our 7-day average test rate rose today from 6.7% to 6.9%.  Average percent positive test rates are among the best metrics for measuring the spread of the virus.  The much lower and more stable California 7-day test rate has been on the rise lately, rose slightly today, from 3.1% to 3.2%.  (Note that Solano County displays past weeks and months in a 7-day test positivity line graph which also shows daily results.  However, the chart does not display an accurate number of cases for the most recent days, as there is a lag time in receiving test results.  The 7-day curve also lags behind current unknown results.) 

By Age Group

  • Youth 17 and under – 24 new cases over the weekend, total of 889 cases, representing 11.4% of the 7,801 total cases.  No new hospitalizations reported today.  Thankfully, no deaths have ever been reported in Solano County in this age group.  But cases among Solano youth rose steadily over the summer, from 5.6% of total cases on June 8 to 11% on August 31 and has plateaued just over 11% since September 30.  Youth are 22% of Solano’s general population, so this 11.x% may seem low.  The significance is this: 1) youth numbers increased steadily and at a faster rate than the other age groups, and 2) youth are SERIOUSLY NOT IMMUNE (!) – in fact 14 youth have now been hospitalized.
  • Persons 18-49 years of age – 91 new cases over the weekend, total of 4,589 cases. This age group is 41% of the population in Solano, but represents just under 60% of the total cases, by far the highest percentage of all age groups. No new hospitalizations reported today.  No new deaths in this young group today, total of 6 deaths.  Some in this group are surely ignoring public health orders, and many are providing essential services among us.  I expect this group is a major factor in the spread of the virus.
  • Persons 50-64 years of age – 37 new cases over the weekend, total of 1,514 cases.  This age group represents over 19% of the 7,801 total cases.  No new hospitalizations reported today.  No new deaths in this age group today, a total of 15 deaths.
  • Persons 65 years or older – 14 new cases today, total of 806, representing 10.3% of Solano’s 7,801 total cases.  3 new hospitalizations reported today.  No new deaths in this age group today, total of 55 of our elders who died of COVID.  This group accounts for 55 of the 76 total deaths, or 72%.

City Data

  • Benicia added 6 new cases today, total of 197 cases since the outbreak began.
  • Dixon added 15 new cases today, total of 517 cases.
  • Fairfield added 40 new cases today, total of 2,483 cases.
  • Rio Vista added 2 new cases today, total of 61 cases.
  • Suisun City added 13 new cases today, total of 567 cases.
  • Vacaville added 42 new cases today, total of 1,436 cases.
  • Vallejo added 48 new cases today, total of 2,514 cases.
  • Unincorporated areas added 1 new case today, total of 26 cases.

Race / Ethnicity

The County report on race / ethnicity includes case numbers, hospitalizations, deaths and Solano population statistics.  This information is discouragingly similar to national reports that indicate significantly worse outcomes among black and brown Americans.  Note that all of this data surely undercounts Latinx Americans, as there is a large group of “Multirace / Others” which likely is composed mostly of Latinx members of our communities.

  • Asian Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 10% of cases, 11% of hospitalizations, and 20% of deaths.
  • Black Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 12% of cases, but 18% of hospitalizations, and 24% of deaths.
  • Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 27% of cases, 29% of hospitalizations, and 17% of deaths.
  • White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but only account for 23% of cases, 25% of hospitalizations and 29% of deaths.

More…

The County’s new and improved Coronavirus Dashboard is full of much more information, too extensive to cover here on a daily basis.  The Benicia Independent will continue to summarize daily and highlight a report or two.  Check out the Dashboard at https://doitgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=055f81e9fe154da5860257e3f2489d67.

Benicia, NorCal Rapist, Sexual assault

Latest on Sacramento trial of Benicia man accused of being NorCal Rapist

‘NorCal Rapist’ Roy Charles Waller – trial continues with Sacramento victims testifying

KCRA3 Sacramento, By Vicki Gonzalez, November 2, 2020

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —The third week of the “NorCal Rapist” trial began with Sacramento victims testifying on Monday.

Roy Charles Waller, 60, faces 46 counts — including rape and kidnapping — for crimes committed between 1991 and 2006.

The charges involve nine women across six counties — Sonoma, Contra Costa, Solano, Butte, Yolo and Sacramento.

[Warning: The testimony may be too graphic for some.]

Monday included testimony from a former UC Davis Medical Center nurse practitioner who conducted a sexual assault exam on the Davis survivor in 2000. The then 21-year-old referred to as “C. Doe” was admitted to the emergency room with pieces of duct tape on her ankles and duct tape residue on her mouth.

However, the majority of trial Monday focused on two roommates raped in Natomas in 2006 — referred to as “Y. Doe” and “K. Doe.”

“Y. Doe” began her testimony by recalling that she came home late at night and saw an unknown SUV parked in the garage next her roommate’s vehicle. When she entered the home, the suspect jumped at her and pushed her to the bedroom at gunpoint.

“’Don’t do anything stupid. I just want some money,’” Y. Doe testified. “I was really, really scared for my life.”

When she entered the bedroom, K. Doe was lying face down on the bed covered with a towel. She was duct-tapped on her eyes, mouth, wrist and ankles.

“Really afraid of him, yes,” Y. Doe testified. “I don’t want to piss him off. I just want him to take the money and go.”

Y. Doe was bound as well and carried to the closet in the bathroom, where she testified the suspect began sexually assaulting her.

“He told me he had a gun and his car was stolen. He had nothing to lose,” she testified. “I feel so violated and so scared for my life.”

Y. Doe said both she and her roommate eventually laid side-by-side on the bed and the suspect raped both of them repeatedly, going back and forth between them and the living room where he looked for items to potentially steal.

“I didn’t even want to cry because I didn’t want him to know I was suffering and get him excited,” Y. Doe testified. “At one point, he kissed my mouth over the duct tape.”

He washed both women off in separate bathtubs before putting them back on the bed and leaving.

“At one point, he mentioned, ‘Don’t call the police,’” Y. Doe testified. “He said he has been watching me for a while.”

When she broke free, she found $200, her driver’s license and ATM card stolen, as well as a picture of herself in her wallet missing. Y. Doe also believes the suspect stole her camera and took photos of her naked before leaving.

Waller, a former UC Berkeley employee living in Benicia, was arrested in September 2018. Investigators credit advancements in DNA genealogy that also led to the arrest and conviction of Joseph DeAngelo, known as the “Golden State Killer.”

Prosecutors said DNA from a drinking straw connected Waller to eight of the women. The ninth came from a surveillance photo allegedly showing Waller using the woman’s ATM card.

Prosecutors argue the assaults had a similar modus operandi. The women were tied to the bed with their eyes taped shut. The assaults would take place over the course of hours, and the suspect would caress, kiss and cuddle the bound women. He would also steal valuables, like jewelry or an ATM card, before leaving.

Waller pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces life in prison. The trial began Oct. 19 and is scheduled to last through December.

*** If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or you can chat online here. ***