GOP leaders unveil key details in new tax plan

By Lauren Fox, Deirdre Walsh and Ashley Killough

House Republicans revealed their new tax bill Thursday, but it’s already encountering some reservations from rank-and-file members.

House Speaker Paul Ryan described the proposal, which lowers the number of tax brackets from seven to four and increases the standard deduction, as a series of tax cuts and breaks aimed at helping most Americans.

“It’s very clear and obvious that the whole purpose of this is a middle-class tax cut,” Ryan said shortly after the bill was made public. “And more to the point, we need to get faster economic growth.”

RELATED: What’s in the House tax bill for people

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady said during Republicans’ news conference that the tax bill “has President (Donald) Trump’s full support.”

READ: The Republican tax plan

The President issued a statement applauding the bill’s release but added “there is much work left to do.” Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office that a tax reform bill will be done “before Christmas,” calling it “one of the great Christmas presents.”

However, not all Republicans were happy. Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York tweeted that he planned to vote no on the bill in its current form, citing the proposal’s elimination of the deduction for state and local taxes, also known as SALT.

“I am a NO to House #TaxReform bill in its current form. A lot of good aspects, but its not there yet,” he tweeted, linking to a longer statement.

According to the bill, individuals would still be able to deduct their local and state property taxes but only up to $10,000.

For that reason, the legislation has struck a nerve with other New York and New Jersey Republicans. Brady already made a key concession when he said that he said he would still allow individuals to deduct their property taxes in the new bill. But that wasn’t enough for some who wanted to see the income deduction restored as well.

The bill, called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, would permanently lower the corporate tax rate to 20% and limit the home interest deduction to loans up to $500,000. The bill would also increase the standard deduction for individuals and households, repeal the alternative minimum tax and increase the child tax credit to $1,600. The House GOP bill would also repeal the estate tax in 2024.

GOP leader quotes Reagan

According to another source in the GOP meeting, Brady started his tax presentation with a quote from Ronald Reagan, the last President to sign a massive tax reform bill.

“I feel like we just played the World Series of Tax Reform and the American people won,” Brady said, quoting remarks Reagan made when signing his tax overhaul from the 1980s. Brady is a Texas Republican whose Houston Astros won the World Series just hours before.

Despite the optimistic tone set by GOP leaders, there are still key questions about what will be in the bill and whether the leadership can wrangle the votes they will need to deliver President Donald Trump a major legislative victory by the end of the year.

RELATED: Ryan threatens holiday session for Congress to get tax reform finished

Now, the hard work begins of both selling the bill and keeping special interests at bay. Many lobbyists on K Street and outside groups admit the GOP lawmakers have kept a tight lid on the process. Once groups see what has been cut and what has been saved, winners and losers will be defined and the fight to preserve valuable tax breaks will begin. Over the weekend, one group, the National Association of Home Builders, already came out against the not-even-released bill.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, notes he’s from a state with high state and local taxes and says lawmakers pushing for changes need to take a broader look at how the reform package will benefit their constituents.

“What’s happening is people are looking at this as one item instead of looking at everything we are doing, lowering the rate, doubling the standard deduction,” McCarthy told CNN. “You’re better off with this.”

READ: The Republican tax plan bill

In advance of the bill’s release, some Republicans were already criticizing the details. On Thursday, Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted that the $600 proposed child tax credit increase in the House’s tax reform plan wasn’t enough.

“House #TaxReform plan is only starting point.But $600 #ChildTaxCredit increase doesn’t achieve our & @POTUS goal of helping working families,” he wrote.

During a conversation with reporters last Wednesday, Rubio said a $2,000 child tax credit was necessary to provide tangible relief to middle-class families. In 2015, Rubio, joined by Republican Sen. Mike Lee, proposed a child tax credit worth $2,500 per child.

Lessons from health care failure

Republican leaders have argued that the party learned valuable lessons from the health care debate that crashed and burned in the Senate this summer.

But, already, the GOP encountered a setback Tuesday with deadlines when Brady announced that the bill’s release would be delayed by a single day. Some members also fear the GOP’s tax effort in the House has shared some frustrating parallels with Obamacare repeal.

For one, Republicans are spooked by the ambitious timeline that has been laid out by their leadership. Members are expecting to get a massive tax bill Thursday only to turn around and amend it in committee days later.

“We started differently on tax reform than we did health care, but I hope that we don’t end up back on the same tracks that led us to the debacle on health care,” said Rep. Mark Walker, the chairman of the Republican Study Committee. “We know this is going to be hundreds of pages and being able to take the time to process it fairly is something that is crucial.”

Repealing Obamacare mandate?

Another twist that came up in the hours before the bill was released came from Trump himself.

The President tweeted Wednesday morning that he wanted to see a repeal of the individual mandate in the tax bill, a move that many House and Senate republicans openly admitted would complicate the process.

“Wouldn’t it be great to Repeal the very unfair and unpopular Individual Mandate in ObamaCare and use those savings for further Tax Cuts for the Middle Class. The House and Senate should consider ASAP as the process of final approval moves along. Push Biggest Tax Cuts EVER,” Trump wrote in a series of two consecutive tweet“I do not believe you are going to see anything health care related in this bill — at the eleventh hour 59 minute, 58 second mark, I don’t,” Republican Rep. Chris Collins of New York told reporters.

There’s no time to even deal with it, that I see,” Collins said flatly, adding, “I believe we are too far along.”

New Jersey GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur, who has been pressing leaders to maintain a tax deduction for property taxes told reporters he’s still negotiating with leaders, and if he and others from high tax states don’t get what they want in the bill unveiled tomorrow they will keep pushing as the measure moves through the legislative process.

“If the bill can’t pass, there will be compromises,” MacArthur said. “I guarantee you that.”

All That Online Shopping You’re Doing? It’s Also Bringing Jobs to Inland California

Distribution centers are becoming more automated, but increased demand from consumers is still creating more jobs. (Erasmo Martinez/KQED)

By Erika Kelly and Lisa Pickoff-White –

The unemployment rate in Santa Clara County — the heart of Silicon Valley — is 3.8 percent. The rate is even lower in other tech-focused cities in the region, such as Cupertino, Palo Alto and Menlo Park.

The tech sector is driving those jobs, from Apple to Google to Facebook.

One of the biggest areas of growth continues to be within e-commerce. E-commerce jobs have existed in Silicon Valley since the dawn of the first dot-com era, way back in the late 1990s. Remember, if you will, Pets.com.

But the Silicon Valley e-commerce jobs aren’t stockers and shippers and blue-collar jobs — the office parks for e-commerce companies in Silicon Valley are filled with software engineers, web developers and marketers.

But as e-commerce, or online shopping, has grown, it has fueled another type of job: Jobs in warehouses and distribution centers, where the stuff we order gets sorted, packed and shipped.

Valley Farm Towns Are Being Transformed by Online Shopping

Warehouses Promise Jobs, But What Happens When the Robots Come?

Oakland Retailers Battle Competition From Online Shopping

One measure of this growth is in jobs labeled as “general warehousing” by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In California, those jobs jumped dramatically from 57,047 in 2007 to 90,263 in 2016. The growth has been concentrated in places like the Inland Empire, which helps fill demand from customers in and around Los Angeles. In Riverside County, for instance, warehouse jobs quadrupled from 4,944 to 20,567 between 2007 and 2016.

According to economist Michael Mandel with the Progressive Policy Institute, online shopping has the potential to bring employment to areas far beyond Silicon Valley, including areas like Riverside County, which are in need of jobs and growth.

“These are jobs that are fairly well paid. They are not entry-level retail jobs,” said Mandel. “They’ve got decent salaries and very often are full benefits. So this really makes a difference to the growth of a region like this, helping pull jobs out of the concentrated center cities, those really dense areas, to areas that really need it.”

Mandel said the growth in the number of warehouse-related jobs has more than offset the stagnation of jobs in the world of brick-and-mortar retail. Mandel acknowledged that the jobs are quite different, and in some cases more difficult.

“These are basically industrial jobs,” said Mandel. “They’re hard work. They’re physical labor.

“They’re hard work, but they’re also decently paid,” he added.

However, there have been complaints and concerns that the jobs don’t, in fact, pay well enough. That’s especially true in the Central Valley town of Tracy, which is home to two large Amazon distribution centers among many others.

In San Joaquin County, where Tracy is located, warehouse jobs increased from 4,338 in 2007 to 11,691 in 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, housing costs in Tracy have skyrocketed, and warehouse wages haven’t been able to keep up.

As companies like Amazon push the boundaries of automation in their distribution centers, there is a fear that these jobs could be short-lived. A recent study from McKinseyranked different job sectors where machines are most likely to replace humans, and “Transportation and Warehousing” ranked near the top. That’s because jobs with lots of repetitive tasks, like those often done in warehouses, are most at risk from automation.

For now, however, there are some jobs that people do better than robots — things like picking delicate or oddly-shaped items from a shelf. In many cases, people and machines are working side by side. And it appears that ever-growing demand for online shopping is only creating more jobs.

The map below shows data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for general warehouse jobs in 2016. Counties in a darker shade of red had more jobs. The average county had 3,600 general warehouse jobs in 2016.

https://kqednews.carto.com/builder/1890cc75-cd7d-4123-b27c-ef24553dd6ea/embed

The Associated Press contributed data to this report.

EXPLORE: ECONOMY, CHANGING WORKPLACE, WAREHOUSE

Tips from an HOA Board for a Safe Halloween in Your Association

by HOA Manager –

Halloween is a kid’s delight. It’s a blast to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties and most of all, eat a lot of candy. At the same time, Halloween can be scary for parents. Costumes can be dangerous, too much candy can be sickening and walking around at night can be risky, even in your homeowners association community.

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionoffers the tips below to make sure your little ghouls and goblins have a SAFE HALLOWEEN. It’s not too late for your HOA board to hand them out to the members in your Association.

Halloween Safety Tips:

S – Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be short, soft and flexible.

A – Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Children should walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

F – Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see trick-or-treaters.

E – Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before they’re eaten.

 

H – Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help see and help others see you.

A – Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it when done to avoid skin irritation.

L – Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.

L – Lower the risk for serious eye injury by avoiding decorative contact lenses.

O – Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

W – Wear well-fitting masks, costumes and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips and falls.

E – Eat only factory-wrapped candy. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook.

E – Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.

N – Never walk near lit candles or other open flames. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

If members will be hosting a party in your homeowners association or expecting trick-or-treaters recommend they:

• Provide healthy treats, such as individual packs of raisins, trail mix or pretzels. Offer fruits, vegetables and cheeses to party guests.
• Use party games and trick-or-treating as an opportunity for kids to get their daily dose of 60 minutes of physical activity.
• Be sure walking areas and stairs are well-lit and free of obstacles that could cause falls.
• Keep candlelit jack-o-lanterns and other open flames away from doorsteps, walkways, landings and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.
• Drive safely and watch out for trick-or-treaters.
• Be aware of the Association rules, especially regarding decorations, parking, and noise.

It’s the role of the HOA board to protect, maintain, and enhance the homeowners association. Keeping members informed or even providing a place where they can gather to celebrate Halloween – such as the clubhouse – will help everyone have a fun and safe Halloween.

Encourage your HOA board members to pass out these simple guidelines to members to promote a safe environment to enjoy Halloween in your homeowners association for parents and kids too!

Bay Area Sprawl Has Put Homes in the Path of Fires — What Now?

A home burning in Napa’s Atlas Fire. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)

By Lauren Sommer –

October’s historic fires in the North Bay are a stark reminder of a growing reality across California: during fire season, millions of people live in harm’s way. That number is only expected to increase as the population grows.

Many Bay Area cities are trying to halt the pattern of sprawl that has put so many homes on hillsides and in the path of fires.

“Clearly, a lot of people are in dangerous areas.”Jon Keeley, US Geological Survey

“Certainly, it’s an opportunity for reflection and it is a moment where we can think about doing things a little bit differently,” says Teri Shore of the non-profit Greenbelt Alliance.

Shore works on land use policy, but was also one of the evacuees who fled their homes as fires roared across the Sonoma County for days on end.

“What became the Nuns Fire got within two miles of our home,” she says.

Her home was spared. Now, she’s focusing on how her community will rebuild. Even before the fires, housing was in short supply with high prices and low vacancy rates. Now, thousands of people will also need to rebuild. In Santa Rosa, fires razed fully five percent of the city’s housing stock.

Fire maps based on 2007 assessment.

Historically, cities expanded their boundaries as they grew.

“People wanted single family homes and were willing to drive for hours to have that American dream of the white picket fence and the home,” Shore says.

Those choices, made over decades, have put many Bay Area residents in the fire zone.

“Clearly, a lot of people are in dangerous areas,” says Jon Keeley, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

About a third of Californians live in the WUI, or the “wildland-urban interface,” as scientists call it. Studies show that could increase by a million more homes by 2050.

It’s an area prone to fires whether or not people live there, because many of the ecosystems evolved with fires.

“They are an inevitable feature,” Keeley says. “All you need is the conditions we saw in the North Bay. So, we need to respect the fact that these are going to happen in the future and we need to have communities adapt to the fires.”

But for city and county governments, that often comes at the end of a much longer list of priorities.

“Historically, communities have by and large assumed the state and federal government will solve the fire problem and they’ve left fire issues to them,” Keely explains. “And the communities haven’t taken a real serious look.”

The Bay Area is expected to add more than 2 million people by 2040. And Keeley says where the housing is built will matter. Instead of sprawling outward, there are ways to reduce the fire risk.

“One is to take existing development areas and fill in those areas within the developments,” he says.

Building Inside-Out

Keeley is describing “infill development,” where housing is packed into the urban core, close to shops and public transit. The trend is currently on display in downtown San Jose.

“The question isn’t whether or not we’re going to grow,” says San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo. “The question is: how are we going to grow?”

Firefighters douse embers in the Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)

Like a lot of cities, San Jose looks a bit like a doughnut: growing on the edges but not a lot going on in the middle.

“We’ve got a lot of work now to revitalize that middle,” Liccardo says.

Google is currently negotiating with the city to build a tech campus downtown, which would bring thousands of jobs. San Jose is trying to fast-track housing development nearby, but it’s not as simple as it sounds.

Infill is often more expensive to build; permitting and zoning can be more complex. San Jose has changed downtown zoning to make it easier there.

“That enabled a tower to get a permit within 66 days,” he says. “I’m told that’s a record in the state of California.”

Long Road Ahead

But many developers are still pursuing suburban subdivisions, like a 900-home development planned for the Evergreen foothills of San Jose. City voters could see a measure to approve it on the ballot next year.

“We’re gonna fight like heck on this because we can’t continue this pattern of sprawl,” Liccardo says. “It’s utterly unsustainable.”

In the Bay Area, the hills are often where the wildfire risk is highest.

“The North Bay fires are illustrative of the perils of hillside development, certainly,” Liccardo says.

In Sonoma County, many cities have instituted “urban growth boundaries,” which rein in the expansion of development outward. But the challenge has been figuring out where to build housing within city boundaries. Denser development often faces local opposition.

Shore of the Greenbelt Alliance says the region has a new opportunity for infill close to the public transit system, the SMART train, which just started running a few months ago.

“Most of the cities along the line have station-area plans that were adopted around ten years ago,” she says. “Now we need to do it. Stop talking and planning but actually start building in the right places in the right way.”

Regional planning agencies are trying to encourage denser development through Plan Bay Area, their transportation and land use plan.

Under that, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has restricted some funding for transportation projects, giving it only to cities doing infill development. The commission is seeking to link even more funding to those goals set by SB 375, a state law that requires regions to cut greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the number of miles driven by cars.

But many agree, the region has a long way to go to break the pattern that has put so many people in the path of wildfires.

EXPLORE: AUDIO, CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENT, NEWS, DEVELOPMENT, FIRE, LAND USE, NORTH BAY FIRES, SPRAWL

Please stop calling the new Bloomberg HQ the world’s most sustainable office building. It’s not.

by Lloyd Alter (@lloydalter) –

© Foster + Partners/ Bloomberg

It’s a great building with lots of green features, but there is more to sustainability than a high BREEAM score.

Mike Bloomberg is one of my favourite billionaire philanthropists, building his new European headquarters in London, one of my favourite cities, designed by Norman Foster, one of my favourite architects. But I do wish everyone would stop calling it “the world’s most sustainable office building,” which both Bloomberg and Foster (and every other website) do; it’s not.

© Foster + Partners/ Bloomberg

There is a lot of green goodness in this building, and it did get a BREEAM score of 98.5 percent, the highest ever for an office development. (BREEAM is a sort of British version of LEED). There are some really interesting innovations, like the ceiling, described by Foster + Partners:

© Bloomberg via Archdaily

Integrated Ceiling Panels: Bespoke integrated ceiling panels combine heating, cooling, lighting and acoustic functions in an innovative petal-leaf design. The system, which incorporates 500,000 LED lights, uses 40 percent less energy than a typical fluorescent office lighting system.

© Bloomberg/ Green features

It has serious water conservation measures that reduce consumption by 73 percent, including vacuum toilets. There is also a Foster favourite:

Natural Ventilation: When ambient weather conditions are temperate, the building’s distinctive bronze blades can open and close, allowing the building to operate in a “breathable” natural ventilation mode. Reducing dependency on mechanical ventilation and cooling equipment significantly reduces energy consumption.

© Bloomberg via Archdaily

Foster has tried this on a few buildings, notably the Gherkin, where nobody ever opens the windows. I suspect nobody will in the Bloomberg building either, given the awful air quality in London. But there are also “smart CO2 sensors that vary the amount of fresh air required when they are running the air conditioning, and a big combined heat and power (CHP) plant that supplies heat and power in a single, efficient system with reduced carbon emissions. Waste heat generated from this process is recycled for cooling and heating and, in use, is expected to save 500-750 metric tonnes of CO2 each year.”

All of these are wonderful things; Foster and Bloomberg deserve much credit. But calling it “the world’s most sustainable office building” just because it has a high BREEAM score doesn’t make it so. For example, CHP plants usually generate heat and power by burning natural gas. The most sustainable office building in the world wouldn’t burn fossil fuels.

© Bullitt Center

The Bullitt building in Seattle doesn’t; it has solar power and gets its heat through ground source heat pumps. But it’s not BREEAM; it is built to the Living Building Challenge standard.

The world’s most sustainable office building would consider the embodied energy of the materials in it; Oliver Wainwright notes that “the embodied energy levels are not slight, given that it contains 600 tonnes of bronze imported from Japan and a quarry-full of granite from India.” That doesn’t even include the embodied energy of the concrete in it.

© Powerhouse Korbo/ Snohetta

The PowerHouse Kjørbo, an office building outside of Oslo designed by Snøhetta, was designed to produce not only more energy than it needs from its solar panels, but “generates more energy than what was used for the production of building materials, its construction, operation and disposal.” It actually pays back its embodied energy.

© Foster + Partners/ Bloomberg

The Bloomberg HQ is a lovely, very green building and London is lucky to have it. (Really lucky — Bloomberg might have built it somewhere else had he known Brexit was coming.) Bloomberg describes his ambitions for it:

We believe that environmentally-friendly practices are as good for business as they are for the planet. From day one, we set out to push the boundaries of sustainable office design — and to create a place that excites and inspires our employees. The two missions went hand-in-hand, and I hope we’ve set a new standard for what an office environment can be.

© Bloomberg via Archdaily

It is a new standard, absolutely. But please, stop calling it the most sustainable office building in the world. It’s not.

This might explain why your electricity bill is so high

You’re wasting electricity and money. Here’s how to save on both.

BY ALINA BRADFORD –

Colin West McDonald/CNET

Even when you turn off your electronics, they could still be wasting electricity. When you press the off switch, many electronics — like televisions, DVRs and satellite boxes– go into standby mode.

The Pivot Power Genius

Colin West McDonald/CNET

During standby mode, electronics don’t turn off completely. They perform updates, record your favorite shows and generally just wait for you to come back, sucking up energy as they do. This is called standby power or phantom load. The energy lost is called vampire energy or leaking energy.

According to the US Department of Energy, your electricity wasters account for 10 percent or more of your electricity bill.

It would explain how my colleague Jason Cipriani ended up saving $840 per year on his electricity bill.

Televisions, DVRs and satellite boxes aren’t the only energy users. Chances are, you have several chargers around your home and they stay plugged in 24/7. Phone chargers use around 0.26 watts when plugged in, but not in use. A laptop charger also wastes energy, using 4.42 kWh when not in use and 29.48 kWh with a fully charged laptop plugged into it. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has a full list of gadgets and how much energy they waste, here.

Test your home for excess energy usage

Want to see if your home is affected by leaking energy? Turn off your AC or heating unit and your hot water heater. Now, turn off everything in your home, but leave it all plugged in.

Then, go look at the electric meter box that’s typically located on the side of your home. Are the numbers still going up? If they are, that means that your devices are still sucking electricity.

Another, more straightforward approach is to use a plug-in device like the Kill-A-Watt or the Belkin WeMo Insight Switch that measures energy usage.

Duke Energy also has a nifty calculator that can help you see just how much your devices and appliances may be wasting… without getting out of your chair.

How to kill vampire waste

The most obvious way to stop energy leaks is by unplugging everything when you aren’t using it. But this can be a huge pain, especially when you use various items throughout the day or the outlets are behind heavy furniture.

One way to make things a little easier is by using power strips. Whenever you aren’t using your devices, flip the switch on the power strip to cut off all power to your devices so that they can’t go into standby. Some power strips even come with remotes so you can shut off power from across the room, like the Conserve Switch AV Surge Protector or the Uninex Surge Protector.

Smart power strips take this idea a step further. They have outlets that are meant for different types of devices. Some of the outlets are designated for items that need to stay on all the time, like your DVR. Other outlets are for items that go into standby mode or use energy, but don’t need to be on. When you shut off a device or disconnect your device from its charger, the power strip senses it and will shut off all power to the device.

Another option is programmable outlets, like the Belkin WeMo Insight Switch and Quirky Pivot Power Genius. These plug into your regular outlet and have an app you can use to schedule your devices to shut off remotely.

Replace energy-hogging appliances

In some cases you might decide that replacing a device or appliance is the best solution. For instance, Jason found that his old secondary refrigerator cost him $40 per month, enough to justify a more energy-efficient replacement.

The California Report

October 24, 2017

Largest Fire Cleanup in State History Begins in North Bay

In Northern California, local, state, and federal agencies are launching what they call the biggest fire clean-up effort in state history.

Pigs Fleeing North Bay Fires Find Refuge in Half Moon Bay

Those whose homes burned in wine country have to live somewhere else for awhile. That includes animals, as well as people. I recently attended a Pumpkin Patch day at a farm in Half Moon Bay that’s offering refuge to some of those animals.

Federal Agency Promoted Ranger Five Months After His Gun Was Stolen and Used in Steinle Killing

A Bureau of Land Management ranger is expected to testify in a high-profile murder case over the slaying of Kathryn Steinle on a San Francisco pier in 2015. The trial opened in the city yesterday.
Steinle was killed with ranger John Woychowski’s gun, which was stolen after he left it unsecured in his car.

Half of California Children Live in Household with Immigrant Parent

In California, nearly half of all children live in a household where they or one of their parents is an immigrant. That’s according to a new study released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

State Senate Hires Outside Firm to Investigate Sexual Harassment

Fall out continues at the State Capitol over claims of sexual harassment within Sacramento’s political circles. The leader of the state Senate has hired two outside firms to investigate the problem.

Fierce Santa Ana Winds Predicted for Southern California

Just as extreme fire conditions are easing up in Northern California, they’re heating up down south.

Fresno Hopes ‘Nothing’ Is Enough to Attract Amazon Headquarters

Some cities are going to great lengths to get the company’s attention: New York temporarily turned the Empire State building orange, to match the Amazon logo; Stonecrest, Georgia offered to rename itself “Amazon.” And, of course, lots of cities are hoping to win the company over with massive tax breaks. But one California city is taking a gamble on a different offer: nothing.

Post-Disaster Checklist: Returning Home After Evacuation Order Lifted

 

The Valley Fire swept through the Spezza family’s rural community in Lake County in September 2015, destroying more than 1,300 homes. (Courtesy of Carolynn Spezza)

By Miranda Leitsinger and Michelle Cheng –

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Returning to your home after a natural disaster can be tough — emotionally as well as practically. KQED gathered advice from FEMA, Sonoma County and Rob Goodman, who lost his home in the 2015 Valley Fire in Lake County, to help out those who have been given the OK to return to their residences.

“Some may not want to return, because of the difficulty of seeing your home and possessions in ashes. And seeing your neighbors’ homes gone as well,” Goodman said in fliers he created for survivors of natural disasters. “When we first returned to our street, we were shocked to see every home gone. Seeing our home in ashes left us feeling numb.”

“If you do decide to return I must urge great caution,” he added. “Your site will be toxic — containing everything from metals to plastics to wiring, plumbing, etc. Everything that was in your home will be melted and covered in ash.”

A Checklist From FEMA and Sonoma County:

What to Bring/Wear

☐ Sturdy shoes (steel toes and shanks are recommended)
☐ Heavy-duty mask (N95)
☐ Heavy-duty gloves
☐ Long pants and long-sleeve shirt
☐ Garden cultivator to sift through ashes
☐ 5-gallon bucket for any possessions
☐ Battery-powered radio to listen to emergency updates and news reports
☐ Battery-powered flashlight to inspect a damaged home

General Tips

• Do not use your water if you suspect or have been told it is contaminated.
• Keep hands clean during an emergency to help prevent the spread of germs.
• If your tap water is not safe to use, wash your hands with soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected or use a large water jug that contains clean water.
• Foods exposed to fire can be compromised (including canned goods).
• Clean and sanitize your household after an emergency to help prevent the spread of illness and disease.
• Hazardous chemicals and conditions may be present.
• Inspect propane tanks for visible damage before turning on.
• Be aware of slip, trip, fall and puncture hazards.
• Watch out for animals, especially venomous snakes.
• Stay off the streets. If you must go out, watch for fallen objects; downed electrical wires; and weakened walls, bridges, roads and sidewalks.

Rob Goodman’s Lake County home, which burned down in the 2015 Valley Fire. (Courtesy of Rob Goodman)

Before You Enter Your Home

Take care around the outside and check for loose power lines, gas leaks and structural damage. If you have any doubts about safety, have your residence inspected by a qualified building inspector or structural engineer before entering.

Do not enter if:

• You smell gas.
• Your home was damaged by fire and authorities have not declared it safe.
• In the case of flooding, floodwaters remain around the building.

 Going Inside Your Home

When you go inside your home, there are certain things you should and should not do. Enter the home carefully and check for damage. Be aware of loose boards and slippery floors. The following items are other things to check inside your home:

• Natural gas
• Sparks, broken or frayed wires
• Roof, foundation, and chimney cracks
• Appliances
• Water and sewage system
• Food and other supplies
• Basement
• Open cabinets
• Household chemical spills

Call your insurance agent. Take pictures of damage. Keep good records of repair and cleaning costs.

More details from FEMA and Sonoma County (Español).

EXPLORE: ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, NEWS, CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES, EVACUATION, NATURAL DISASTER, NORTH BAY FIRES, NORTH BAY FIRES INFORMATION, WILDFIRES

Updating Your Association’s CC&Rs

by Steven J. Tinnelly, Esq. –

    

*Asked & Answered

Asked – Our documents were created in 1981 and have not been updated since that time.  I imagine that we are out of legal compliance with some of the items listed within both documents.  The HOA membership does not want to pay to have them rewritten and brought up to the codes and I am not sure what the implications are if we do nothing.

Answered – This a common question asked by many of our clients, especially those with governing documents that look like they were typed on a typewriter and digitally stored on microfiche.  However, it is important to note at the outset that just because your documents are old, does not mean that it is necessary to amend/restate them.  Nevertheless, there are several reasons why an association may want to update its documents.

The first, and most obvious, reason why an association may want to update its documents is to address particular issues affecting the community. While an association’s operating rules can easily be amended to tackle many of these issues, not all can be addressed through adopting an operating rule.  Thus, certain situations may require a CC&R or Bylaw amendment.

The second common reason why an association may want to update its CC&Rs is to remove developer-specific provisions. When an association is formed, the developer’s attorney prepares the governing documents, including the CC&Rs. And while the California Bureau of Real Estate exercises some oversight, many of the provisions are drafted to benefit the Developer and not necessarily the individual homeowners. Accordingly, it may be worthwhile to remove these provisions and reallocate the rights and responsibilities to the Association and its members.

Other reasons why an association may want to update its documents is to reduce quorum and membership approval requirements, and to address changes in the law. For example, a recent change to the Civil Code further defined the maintenance and repair responsibilities of the association and owners concerning Exclusive Use Common Area (“EUCA”) components. For condominium associations that have traditionally held owners responsible for EUCA repairs, changes in the law may require them to change that position if the provisions in their CC&Rs fail to address the issue.

Board members should be aware that amending an association’s governing documents can be an expensive endeavor. The expense is often exacerbated by the difficulty experienced in obtaining membership approval, either because of the unpopularity of the proposed amendments, or membership apathy. The foregoing is meant to underscore the importance of discussing potential updates with the association’s legal counsel to determine if they are necessary and/or advisable.

-Blog post authored by TLG Attorney, Matthew T. Plaxton, Esq.

At Least 31 Dead, 3,500 Structures Destroyed in Northern California Fires

By KQED News Staff and Wires –

 

Authorities say some of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history have killed at least 31 people. Seventeen people have died in Sonoma County, eight in Mendocino County, two in Napa County and four in Yuba County.

The Sonoma County Coroner’s Office has positively identified the following decedents and their next of kin have been advised:

• Carol Collins-Swasey, 76 years old from Santa Rosa
• Lynne Anderson Powell, 72 years old from Santa Rosa
• Arthur Tasman Grant, 95 years old from Santa Rosa
• Suiko Grant, 75 years old from Santa Rosa
• Donna Mae Halbur, 80 years old from Larkfield (Santa Rosa)
• Leroy Peter Halbur, 80 years old from Larkfield (Santa Rosa)
• Valerie Lynn Evans, 75 years old from Santa Rosa
• Carmen Caldentey Berriz, 75 years old from Apple Valley
• Michael John Dornbach, 57 years old from Calistoga
• Veronica Elizabeth McCombs, 67 years old from Santa Rosa

They join Charles (100) and Sara Rippey (98) of Napa who were identified earlier this week.

Firefighters gained some ground on the blazes but face another tough day with low humidity and high winds expected to return Friday night through Saturday night, leading to a red flag warning in the North and East Bay.

But Cal Fire’s Daniel Berlant says the agency wants to be as aggressive as possible on the fires Friday.

“Today we have a little bit of a window of opportunity as the winds are going to be relatively light throughout much of the day,” Berlant said. “We’re going to bring in some fresh crews and we’re going to be doubling up on some of the containment lines on the southern portion of these fires because the north winds are expected to pick back up late tonight.”

National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Rowe says winds will start to pick up late in the day.

“Right now we are most concerned about the North Bay mountains as well as the East Bay hills for the threat of strong and gusty off-shore winds and low relative humidity values,” Rowe said.

In those areas wind gusts out of the north and north east are expected to hit 20 to 30 mph and could reach 40 to 50 miles an hour.

Meteorologists say there’s a chance the area could see isolated gusts reaching 60 mph at the highest ridges and peaks.

High winds have created power outages in the North Bay, and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said 34,000 customers are without electricity — most of them are in Sonoma and Napa counties.

The Atlas Fire burning in Napa and Solano counties has scorched 48,228 acres and is 27 percent contained.

The Tubbs Fire near Calistoga and Santa Rosa has burned 34,770 acres and is 25 contained.

Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Coursey said in a press conference Thursday afternoon that 2,834 homes had been destroyed by fires in the city alone.

Thousands of firefighters are battling at least 17 fires spanning more than 200,000 acres (about 300 square miles), according to Cal Fire.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Wednesday for the entire city of Calistoga, and residents are being told to leave immediately and shelter at American Canyon High School, 30 miles to the south between Napa and Vallejo. About 2,500 residents have evacuated their homes in Solano County because of the spreading Atlas Fire, which began in neighboring Napa County. The fire has destroyed two homes and 11 other structures and is still threatening 400 other homes in the county, according to Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrera.

Geyserville and surrounding communities in Sonoma County were also put under evacuation Thursday.

A helicopter drops water on flames in Calistoga on Oct. 11, 2017. (JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images)Most schools in Napa and Sonoma counties are closed through the end of the week, in addition to schools in Solano, Marin and Contra Costa counties, which have closed due to poor air quality from smoke from the fires.Investigators Look Into Downed Power Lines, Exploding Transformers as Possible Cause of FiresCal Fire Chief Ken Pimlott said Wednesday that Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Washington are sending firefighters and the U.S. Forest Service is sending fire engines, bulldozers and hand crews. Some 14,000 members of the California National Guard are on notice and could join members already assisting in firefighting efforts.“We have had big fires in the past. This is one of the biggest, most serious, and it’s not over,” Gov. Jerry Brown said at a news conference on Wednesday.Burned cars in the devastated Coffey Park subdivision in Santa Rosa. ” data-medium-file=”https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-800×527.jpg” data-large-file=”https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-1020×672.jpg” class=”size-medium wp-image-11622855″ src=”https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-800×527.jpg” alt=”Burned cars in the devastated Coffey Park subdivision in Santa Rosa.” width=”800″ height=”527″ srcset=”https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-800×527.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-160×105.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-1020×672.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-1180×777.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-960×632.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-240×158.jpg 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-375×247.jpg 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/BurnedCars-520×342.jpg 520w” sizes=”(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px” style=”box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; width: 800px;”>Burned cars in the devastated Coffey Park subdivision in Santa Rosa. (Sheraz Sadiq/KQED)The blazes have burned approximately 200,000 acres in 21 fires across Northern California, according to Cal Fire. Sonoma County officials said Wednesday that 600 people have been reported missing during the fires and that more than 315 have been located safely. People can call 707-565-3856 to report missing persons.Napa County is not releasing information on missing person reports.Video: Santa Rosa Reeling From Devastating Tubbs FireGiordano said Wednesday afternoon that people should not expect to go home until Monday at the earliest.Multiple fires broke out Sunday night as strong winds buffeted the area. Emergency lines were inundated with callers reporting smoke in the area.Cal Fire is investigating whether falling power lines and exploding electrical transformers may have caused some of the wildfires that started in the North Bay Sunday night. The Bay Area News Group reported Wednesday that Sonoma County dispatchers sent fire crews out to at least 10 locations over a 90-minute period, starting around 9:20 p.m. on Sunday, to respond to calls about electrical problems.The pool at Journey’s End Mobile Home Park in Santa Rosa, which has been completely destroyed. “