All posts by Roger Straw

Editor, owner, publisher of The Benicia Independent
Police reform, Police violence, Vallejo Police, Vallejo Times-Herald

Vallejo Times-Herald: 3 news features on Vallejo police

The following 3 articles appeared on June 15 and 16 in the Vallejo Times-Herald.  Many thanks to reporter John Glidden and VT-H staff for covering this intensely important issue in a time of crisis and needed change.  We are especially appreciative for the link to the 74-page report, “VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT: Independent Assessment of Operations, Internal Review Systems, and Agency Culture.”  – Roger Straw

Vallejo City Council to review analysis of police department

BY JOHN GLIDDEN, June 15, 2020

The Vallejo City Council will get its first public view on Tuesday of a report analyzing the operations, culture and internal review of the Vallejo Police Department.

The 70-page assessment prepared by the OIR Group praises the hard work done by Vallejo police but it does note an us versus them mentality as “the prevailing sentiment (in the department) was that officers who are willing to contend with dangerous crime in a thankless environment should at least be empowered to do so without unnecessary scrutiny or interference.”

“Much of the department seems to have an aggrieved perspective toward local politicians, the media, and its critics in the activist and legal communities (including an active plaintiffs’ bar),” the report states…. [continued]

Vallejo’s police union files restraining order to block release of officer’s name involved in Monterrosa shooting

BY JOHN GLIDDEN, June 16, 2020

The Vallejo police union filed a temporary restraining order in Solano Superior Court on Monday to prevent the city from releasing the name of any officer involved in the fatal police shooting of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa, according to court records and a union representative.

Vallejo officials said Tuesday that the city intends to oppose the restraining order and release the names of the involved officer(s) on its own terms…. [continued]

Vallejo Police Department banned from training on Touro’s campus following union’s Facebook post

BY JOHN GLIDDEN, June 16, 2020

Vallejo police will not longer be allowed to train on Touro University California’s Mare Island campus after the police union issued a statement Saturday criticizing those protesting the death of Sean Monterrosa.Touro University California Provost Dr. Sarah M. Sweitzer said the university was “appalled” by the statement from the Vallejo Police Officer’s Association questioning those attending the march, she wrote in a June 13 message posted to the university’s web page.

“As a community that stands against systemic racism and institutionalized inequity… [continued]

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Solano County CA

Solano County COVID-19 report: very few new cases, a hopeful sign?

UPDATE: for a MUCH LESS ROSY PICTURE, see today’s latest information

Tuesday, June 16: only 2 new positive cases, no new deaths. Total 687 cases, 23 deaths.

Solano County Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Updates and Resources.  Check out basic information in this screenshot.  IMPORTANT: The County’s interactive page has more.  On the County website, you can hover your mouse over the charts at right for detailed information.

Previous report, Monday, June 15

The County does not archive its dashboard.  Archives here: BenIndy’s Daily Count Archive.

Summary

  • Solano County reported only 2 new positive cases today, and added no new cases on Sunday and Monday.  Encouraging: only 2 cases in 3 days, total of 687.
  • No new deaths today, total of 23.
  • 8 fewer active cases since yesterday, total 70.
  • Only 132 residents tested since yesterday (down from over 400  per day over the weekend and Monday).
  • Youth – no new cases today among the 17 and under age group, total 40.  There have been 35 new cases among those age 17 and under in the last 34 days, with only 6 new cases over the 5 weeks prior.

BY AGE GROUP

  • No new cases among those 17 and under, total of 40 cases, including one hospitalization. Our concern remains: cases among youth have increased in recent weeks to 5.8% of the 687 total confirmed cases.  And there have been 35 new cases among those age 17 and under in the last 34 days, with only 6 new cases over the 5 weeks prior.
  • 1 new case among persons 18-49 years of age, total of 339 cases.  No new hospitalizations or deaths, total of 24 hospitalized at one time and 2 deaths.  This age group represents 49.3% of the 687 total cases, the highest percentage of all age groups.   24 of the 339 cases in this age group have been hospitalized at one time, 7.1% of total cases in the age group.
  • No new cases among persons 50-64 years of age, total of 164 cases.  No new hospitalizations or deaths, total of 30 hospitalized at one time and 3 deaths.  This age group represents 23.9% of the 687 total cases.   30 of the 164 cases in this age group have been hospitalized at one time, 18.3% of total cases in the age group.
  • 1 new case among persons 65 years or older total 144 cases, including no new hospitalizations and no new deaths, total of 38 hospitalized at one time and 18 deaths.  This age group represents 21.0% of the 687 total cases.  38 of the 144 cases in this age group (26.4) were hospitalized at one time, a substantially higher percentage than in the lower age groups.  And… this group counts for 18 of the 23 deaths, over 78%.

CITY DATA

  • Vallejo added 1 new case today, total of 337.
  • Fairfield added 1 new case today, total of 173.
  • Vacaville remained at 82 cases.
  • Suisun City remained at 46 cases.
  • Benicia remained at 25 cases.
  • Dixon remained at 14 cases.
  • Rio Vista and “Unincorporated” are still not assigned numerical data: today both remain at <10 (less than 10).  The total numbers for other cities add up to 677, leaving 10 cases somewhere among the 2 locations in this “<10” category (same as last reported).  Residents and city officials have pressured County officials for city case counts.  Today’s data is welcome, but still incomplete.

TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS:  93 of Solano’s 687 cases resulted in hospitalizations since the outbreak started, same as yesterday and  steady at 93 since last Wednesday, June 10.  Cumulative hospitalizations is a most important stat to watch.  On May 1 there were 51 hospitalizations, and the daily increase was relatively steady, adding 2 or less each day.  But on May 22, the County reported 4 new hospitalizations, 9 more on May 29, and 3 more on June 2.  We are back to 1 or 2 a day lately or even remaining steady as today.  We need to keep our eyes on these numbers.

ACTIVE CASES:  70 of the 687 cases are currently active, 12 fewer than yesterday (and 18 fewer than last Friday).  This is a something of a mystery, given that the County is reporting 30 NEW cases since Friday.  Active cases had been trending lower until a steep increase last week.  We were at 72 active cases on May 28; down to 42 on June 8, and bouncing back up to 88 on Friday June 12.  Has the County changed its definition of “active”?  Below you will see that only 14 of the active cases are currently hospitalized, which leaves 56 of these 70 active cases out in our communities somewhere, and hopefully quarantined.

HOSPITAL IMPACT: The County shows 14 of the 93 hospitalized cases are CURRENTLY hospitalized, steady since last Friday, good news!  The County’s count of ICU beds available and ventilator supply remains at “GOOD” at 31-100%. (No information is given on our supply of test kits, PPE and staff.)
TESTING: The County reports that 16,981 residents have been tested as of today, an increase of only 132 residents tested since yesterday (down from over 440 per day over the weekend and Monday).  Testing will continue to be a very important way of limiting and tracking outbreaks – please go get a test if you can!  Testing sites in Vallejo and Vacaville are open to anyone – see locations below.  We have a long way to go: only 3.5% of Solano County’s 447,643 residents (2019) have been tested.

TESTING SITE LOCATIONS:
Vacaville – 1681 E Monte Vista Ave, Vacaville, CA 95688 (entrance at the end of Nut Tree Road)
Vallejo – 1121 Whitney Ave, Vallejo, CA (North Vallejo Community Center)

Solano’s curve – cumulative cases as of June 16

This chart shows that the infection’s steady upward trajectory may be flattening a bit in Solano County.  Too soon to tell.  Our nursing homes, long-term care facilities and jails bear watching, and social distancing is still incredibly important: everyone stay home if you don’t need to go out, wear masks when you do go out (especially in enclosed spaces), wash hands, and be safe!

#Masks4All, Benicia City Council, Benicia city staff, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Mandatory face coverings

Benicia City Council considers mandatory face mask order – staff recommends approval

The following business item is on the Benicia City Council agenda for Tuesday, June 16, 2020.  Below you will find instructions for sending your comment to staff and council members.

14.A – RESOLUTION REQUIRING THE WEARING OF FACE COVERINGS IN BENICIA (Assistant City Manager)

At the May 26, 2020 City Council study session, the City Council deliberated the merits of mandating the wearing of face coverings in Benicia. Council directed staff to collect data on COVID-19 infections and prepare a resolution requiring the public to wear face coverings indoors and in enclosed public spaces in Benicia. Staff has returned to Council with the requested data and resolution.

Recommendation:
Move to adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) requiring the wearing of face coverings in indoor and enclosed public spaces in Benicia.

COVID-19 Data from Bay Area Counties – click for larger view, or download PDF version.

 

HOW TO SEND YOUR THOUGHTS TO STAFF AND COUNCIL

(from a Benicia Happenings post by Jennifer Hanley)

ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, TUESDAY, JUNE 16th @ 7pm!
**They’ll be voting on the mask mandate, so send in your comments and explain why it is so important!!

-View live broadcast Ch 27, Tuesday, 6/16 at 7:00pm
-Watch Online at http://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/agenda
-Re-broadcasts on Ch 27: Thurs & Tues following the meeting, 8:30am

SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS BY EMAIL
(copy the below email group and paste into “To:” field of email)

LWolfe@ci.benicia.ca.us, EPatterson@ci.benicia.ca.us,  CStrawbridge@ci.benicia.ca.us, TCampbell@ci.benicia.ca.us , SYoung@ci.benicia.ca.us, LLargaespada@ci.benicia.ca.us, LTinfow@ci.benicia.ca.us, AShear@ci.benicia.ca.us, BStock@ci.benicia.ca.us

You may choose to identify yourself, or remain anonymous. Briefly state which issue you will be speaking to. Limit submission to 750 words, or about 5 minutes reading length for clerk. ** Emails received PRIOR to 3pm on the meeting day will be distributed to council members, read privately, and recorded. Emails received AFTER 3pm & BEFORE 7pm on the meeting day will be collected by the clerk and read out loud during the council meeting broadcast.

SHARE COMMENTS VIA TELEPHONE DIAL-IN

Call in via Zoom: (669) 900-9128
Follow prompts, Meeting ID: 826 4906 6719 — Password: 440887
You will be placed in a virtual waiting room/queue. You will be prompted by the city clerk when it is your turn to share your comments. You will only have five minutes to speak (hard stop, no exceptions). Once complete, you will be muted to the council.

MAIL IN COMMENTS VIA USPS
Comments may be submitted by letter via the postal service. Standard postage will apply.
MAIL TO: City Clerk, Lisa Wolfe, 250 E L. Street, Benicia, CA 94510
Mailed comments must be received by end of business day on the day of the meeting and a copy will be distributed to each attendee.

For questions re: agenda, how to connect, submissions, contact:
City Clerk, Lisa Wolfe
250 E. L. Street, Benicia, CA 94510
LWolfe@ci.benicia.ca.us or (707) 746-4200
Business office hours 8am – 5pm.

View Current/Scheduled Meeting Agendas:
https://tinyurl.com/BeniciaCityCouncilAgenda

Guide to Council Meetings & Public Comment:
https://tinyurl.com/BeniciaCityCouncilGuide

Previous Council Meeting Agendas & Minutes:
https://tinyurl.com/BeniciaCCMPastMeetings

[Other City Officials that may Attend}
Lisa Wolfe – City Clerk
Lori Tinfow – City Manager
Alan Shear – Asst City Manager
Ben Stock – City Attorney
mgiuliani@ci.benicia.ca.us – Economic Dev, Mario Giuliani
police@ci.benicia.ca.us – Police Chief Erik Upson
JChadwick@ci.benicia.ca.us – Fire Chief, Josh Chadwick
mdotson@ci.benicia.ca.us – Parks & Community, Mike Dotson

Eric Holder, Right to vote, Stacey Abrams, Voter registration, Voter suppression

Voting by people of color is up, but so are barriers built by Republicans

Americans across the country still face significant barriers when attempting to vote. It’s time Republicans come to terms with that.

Eric H. Holder Jr. and Stacey Abrams
USA Today, by Stacey Abrams and Eric H. Holder Jr., June 15, 2020

At the core of our American democracy is the belief that the people should elect the leaders who give voice to their values and ambitions. The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, yet over the past decade, partisanship has overtaken patriotism in the political process. Just last month, the House of Representatives passed the Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect access to the ballot. For decades, the Voting Rights Act received bipartisan reauthorization in Congress, but this bill received just a single Republican vote.

At the state level, Republicans have passed a raft of laws designed to block, deflect and deny access to the ballot. Since 2010, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, 25 states have put heightened voting restrictions in place, almost entirely guided by Republican officials.

These efforts were aided by gerrymandering of state legislatures in 2011 that locked in their power and a disastrous Supreme Court decision in Shelby County, Alabama, in 2013 that gutted federal protections for minority voters. Yet the acute attention from Congress and others to the scourge of voter suppression — the intent and effect of these new voting restrictions — has led to cries of innocence and feigned outrage.

Republicans are gaslighting voters

Recently, Republicans have offered a new argument to deny widespread voter suppression and misdirect the public about their actions. They claim that because high numbers of voters of color participated in the 2018 election, voter suppression could not possibly have occurred.

Employing this level of purposefully lazy gaslighting of voters who were deprived of their constitutional rights is shocking but not surprising, given that it comes from a political party whose strategy for victory relies so heavily on making voting more difficult.

In Covington, Kentucky, on Nov. 6, 2018.
In Covington, Kentucky, on Nov. 6, 2018. Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer Via The USA TODAY Network

Put simply, an increase in participation does not negate the fact that challenges can also increase. Indeed, in elections in the past 20 years, the obstacles have grown more complex and harmful, and the injuries are real. While more voters of color successfully navigated impediments to registration and ballot access in 2018, we cannot blithely ignore the tens of thousands of others silenced by purges, exact match schemes and closed precincts.

Republicans are rigging elections to win:They’re anti-voter and anti-democracy

Turnout reached the highest level among voters of color in 2018 than in any previous midterm election in memory. They turned out in droves because they were seen, heard and inspired. In Georgia, for example, an analysis by the Stacey Abrams gubernatorial campaign showed that 1.2 million black voters cast ballots for the Democratic ticket — compared with 1.15 million voters of all races who had supported it four years earlier.

Even so, those numbers do not reflect the gauntlet of problems faced by voters, too many of whom were rejected or denied before having their ballots counted. Equally worrisome and worthy of investigation are the additional eligible voters who would have had their voices heard if only there were fewer obstacles.

High barriers and high participation

Across the country, the perverse position Republicans have taken is to use higher participation rates among voters of color to claim that voter suppression does not exist. Worse, some go so far as to take credit for record turnout. In many cases, higher turnout by voters of color led to lines of four hours or more due to too few machines, faulty poll books, a lack of power cords, poorly trained election workers and more. Some overcame these challenges and had their votes counted, but that does not erase the obstacles.

The fact that people of color voted in droves in 2018 is proof that voter turnout and voter suppression can operate independently but also in relation to one another. Research shows that those most aware of suppression activities may employ anger at the partisan nature of disenfranchisement as a motivating force and take extraordinary steps to overwhelm its effect by amplifying participation. Increases in voter turnout are also a very real response to the threat of voter suppression.

Before 2020:Upgrade voting systems, restore Voting Rights Act, end voter suppression

Still, as Americans, we must not elide the real effect of these actions. The denial of even a single voter’s right to be heard should concern all of us. If even one eligible voter’s name is missing from the poll book, if even one parent must leave a long line to pick up a child from school, if even one voter’s registration is held up because of a so-called unusual name, our elections are not truly free and fair.

We must continue to speak the truth and hold government officials accountable until every eligible voter’s voice can be heard. If Republicans are not outraged by voter suppression, if they are only are incensed that their actions have been called out, then that raises a question Americans should ask themselves: Why are Republicans afraid of free and fair elections?

Stacey Abrams, a former Democratic leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, was the first African American woman nominee of a major party for governor and is the founder of Fair Fight and Fair Count. Eric H. Holder Jr., chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, was U.S. attorney general for six years during the Obama administration, the first African American to hold that position. Follow them on Twitter: @staceyabrams and @EricHolder