Monthly Archives: January 2021

The November election results were a disaster for Texas Democrats. There were strong candidate recruits across the board, campaign contributions pouring in, hope for flipping the Texas House, even talk of Joe Biden winning the state all for naught. No new Democratic member of Congress, no state House gains. Now that the dust has settled, what actually happened?

Texas Democrats were always going to be hard-pressed to match the expectations of surpassing their strong 2018 results. That year, they had a giant advantage in turnout, driven by Donald Trumps unpopularity, his absence from the ballot and the grassroots efforts on behalf of Beto ORourke. This time around, record early voting made it seem like a blue wave was coming, raising expectations. But the presence of Trump on the ballot in 2020 brought out a red wave of voters that matched and exceeded Democratic efforts. A closer look at the actual results, though, reveals a more complex end result.

If you flip 10,784 votes in nine state House races, less than one-tenth of 1 percentage point of the total state turnout, Democrats would have taken control of the chamber. Flip 52,019 votes and Democrats take five GOP congressional seats. Their problem, in those contested seats, was that their share of the vote declined 1 percent to 2 percent from 2018. Ultimately, you cant win new seats by losing a share of the vote in districts, no matter how close the previous races had been.

In hindsight, maybe this was all predictable.

Republican efforts to do away with straight-ticket voting paid dividends. For example, in Fort Bend County, a county that turned blue in 2018, Democratic drop-off in 2020 from voting in down-ballot races was 7 percent to 8 percent, much greater than that for the GOP.

Messaging during the summer, with nightly news images of violence in cities such as Portland, coupled with the drumbeat of Republican appeals against defunding the police and socialism, probably took a toll on Democratic candidates. Abandoning door-to-door campaigning, so crucial in 2018, didnt help. Finally, Trump also showed surprising appeal to working-class Latino and African American men.

So is there any reason to think that the cycle of Democratic expectations and election letdowns will ever end? I think there is.

If you look at the examples of recent states turning blue Colorado, Nevada with the efforts of the state Culinary Workers Union, Arizona in part and this years Georgia victories all of them have been built on relentless grassroots organizing. In Georgia, a decade of registering and keeping in contact with the growing rolls of Black and minority voters, led by Stacey Abrams, paid dividends in the historic January runoff wins. If Democrats want better results, they must reconnect with Mexican American Trump voters along the border. The grassroots efforts have to redouble now, not in 2022.

Two years is a lifetime in politics. If Bidens administration can right the COVID-19 vaccine distribution mess and pass a stimulus plan that gets the economy going in a country weary of White House dysfunction, maybe the off-year elections will not be so bad for Democrats. If the new Texas Legislature slips back into social issue crusades in a time of a budgetary crisis, maybe the Democratic brand gets another chance. The explosion in minority population may mitigate any attempts to gerrymander districts. And as we saw in 2018, sometimes a single unexpected charismatic candidate cures many ills. Finally, remember that statewide totals are trending Democratic, with Biden closing the gap to under 6 percent and most of the Republican candidates in 2018 held to 53 percent or less.

Years ago, I interviewed Karl Rove in the White House about how the Texas Republican Party rose to dominance. He talked about running strong candidates with resonating messages, but also looking for opportunities, accidents and upsets, because ultimately it was results that mattered. Those results ultimately belong to those who pick themselves up and try to do better next time. Now is no time to quit.

Stekler is a professor of public affairs and radio-television-film and a documentary film maker at The University of Texas at Austin. His film Last Man Standing: Politics, Texas Style can be seen at https://vimeo.com/226210605.

Link:

Opinion: Texas Democrats flopped in 2020 but could flip the House in 2022 - Houston Chronicle

To be clear, the challenge for Democrats is not their policies, which are far more popular than the GOPs free-market ideology. People much prefer the Affordable Care Act and Medicare-for-All to Republicans efforts to stop government from helping people get health care, for example. President Joe Bidens $2 trillion climate plan has more than 60 percent support as he takes office. And although increasing corporate tax rates is slightly under water in terms of its popularity, it has more support than the Republicans 2017 tax bill did.

The challenge for Democrats, rather, is rhetorical. If Americans prize freedom more than equality, Democrats need to find the right words to convince people to support equality-furthering policies. With such a tenuous grip on both parts of Congress and without Trump as an easy foil to turn out Democrats base and turn independent voters away from the GOP, the success of the partys long-term agenda and their hold on power will depend on their doing so. It also might just help unify the party in the process.

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The parties respective relationships to the values of freedom and equality take on different forms. Republicans have made freedom front-and-center to most every political conversation, from saying any limitation of gun rights is a disregard for freedom to framing critiques of government-run health care around the danger these program would pose to Americans freedom. In the GOPs telling, it is the defender of Americans freedom from Democratic attacks.

The Democrats relationship to equality is more complex. During the Civil Rights Era, Democrats became the party of rights and equality as activists marched through the streets demanding justice for Black Americans. The party passed the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act while Republicans rallied around the anti-rights, anti-equality messaging of Barry Goldwater. Democrats also launched the Great Society, an effort to alleviate the suffering and economic inequity that affected millions of Americans.

In the decades that followed, the party largely abandoned the language of and commitment to equality. Calls for equal rights and a fairer economy were replaced with Bill Clintons freedom-driven Third Way and an insistence on the power of markets and opportunity. In choosing freedom rather than equality as the partys defining value for a time, the Democrats helped Republicans define the political conversation for decades.

Even today, the party avoids explicitly owning equality as their defining value. The partys leadership and voters rejected Bernie Sanders, the most explicitly pro-equality candidate in decades, in the primary despite the popularity of much of his agenda, while many of Democrats in purple states, like Mark Kelly, ran on pro-tax cut agendas. Biden, in his inaugural speech, did not mention equality as a defining value for his agenda or for the country.

But essentially all of the partys current goalshealth care for all, workers rights, voting rights, equal rights for women and members of the LGBTQ community, lowering student debt and college tuition, an economy and justice system free of systemic racismwould further equality. And achieving these goals without significant political backlash depends upon people believing in equality as a core American value.

Of course, the choice between equality and freedom is on some level a false one. For freedom to exist there must be a baseline of equality. But these values are often treated as in competition in American political discoursein the debates about taxation to address income inequality, and religious freedom versus the obligation to serve LGBTQ individuals equally, for example. And most Americans I met, both Republicans and Democrats alike, reserved their most aspirational words and beliefs for just one of them: freedom.

Terri, the owner of a Christian candle shop in Waukesha, Wisc., exemplified the celebration of freedom that was common in my interviews. I feel very blessed to be an American, she said. It means freedomfreedom of religion, freedom of choice, freedom of speech. Dolly, a self-described Trump-lover in Pittsburgh told me, This, to me, is the greatest country on Earth. This is the country of freedom.

That Republicans would use this language was not surprising. But this rhetoric appeared in conversations with Democrats, too. Take Taj, a Sudanese refugee from Dubuque, Iowa. Though Taj declined to share whom he voted for in 2016, our conversation suggested that his politics lean left. When I asked what he sees as Americas core values, he told me, This country works well for me because of the liberty. He also discussed how the founders created a world that didnt exist yetin terms of freedom of speech. In fact, most anyone who mentioned the Founding mentioned only freedom as a founding ideal.

Melvin, then and still a city council member in Jackson, Miss., is the type of person Democrats might expect to prize equality as much as freedom. Melvin, who is Black, is a staunch Democrat who spoke at length about the need for change in America. He grew up in Jackson, attended Harvard, and returned to serve his community in a deep red state.

When I asked Melvin what it means to be an American, he told me a sense of optimism, a belief in rightsa potential nod to equality, though revealing that he didnt use the word itselfand the law, and a certain pride. Core to all of those and to American life? Freedom. He said: I believe that being an American means you believe in freedom or liberty, even if you disagree with other peoples use of them.

National polling suggests my anecdotal observations were not a coincidence. The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute undertook an American values survey in 2012 in which they asked people, among other questions, Which, if any of these factors, do you think contributes to America having stronger values than other places in the world? Participants were asked to select all the ideas listed that applied. Fifty percent of over 2,000 respondents cited Principles of equality, tied with free enterprise and the system laid out in our Constitution for third. Ranking ahead of it? Freedom of speech with 67 percent and freedom of religion with 61 percent.

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But my interviewsand policy shifts over the past several yearsindicate that there might be a way for the Democrats to rebuild the partys and build the countrys rhetorical and philosophical commitment to equality while also helping their policies popularity and candidates electoral chances in 2022. That path requires Democrats to focus on two values that my conversations suggest are still widely embraced and also are essential parts of an enduring national commitment to equality: fairness and community.

Fairness is an ideal central to the American Dream. The notion that every American deserves a fair shot at a better life was frequently seen as a foundational part of American society in my conversations, even among conservatives I met. By focusing on fairness, Democrats can move an equality-driven agenda forward while simultaneously providing a popular competing ideal to Republicans arguments about economic and legal freedom.

When it comes to civil rights, the sense that our justice system has not been working fairly led majorities in both parties to say in 2018 that they supported prison and sentencing reforms. Voters act on this belief, too: In Florida in 2018, more than 60 percent of people voted to restore former felons voting rights. In a country whose criminal justice system is still in many ways defined by systemic racism, emphasizing legal fairness may well be a pathway to broader discussions of societal equality.

The idea that there should be a degree of economic fairness has broad support, too. Even as Florida voted for Trump this cycle, its voters also supported a ballot measure for a $15 minimum wage, while a wealth taxa way to ensure the wealthiest Americans pay their sharehas support from even a near majority of Republicans. And when it comes to health care, Americans believe that every American should have a baseline of care: At least 70 percent of Americans approve of a Medicare for All who want it-type plan. An appeal to the idea that every American needs certain things to build a better life can move the needle for Democrats against Republican policies and rhetoric.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, Democrats need to affirm the importance of community. More Americans will believe everyone deserves political and economic security and equality when they see one another as members of the same political community.

Community was the only ideal that came up in more of my interviews than freedom. Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs talked about how good citizenship means serving ones community and about how their communities are struggling and need help. Polling suggests this trend is consistent nationwide: More than 60 percent of Americans say community involvement is very important to them. And policies that strengthen community foundations like public internet and infrastructure investment hold broad appeal, too.

The challenge to using the idea of community to build political coalitions is that many people see their community as those who are only like them. On my travels, many white Americans implied immigrants and Black Americans need to assimilate for communities and the country to thrive. This isnt surprising given Americas history of racism and anti-immigrant sentiments. Nor is it surprising that many people I met believed members of the other party would not see them as good Americans given increased inter-party animosity.

The Democrats task then, if they want to build a deep and broad support for equality, is to expand more voters notion of the American community. In his 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama declared, There is not a liberal America and a conservative Americathere is the United States of America. Democrats need to revive this sort of rhetoric, not to win empty points for bipartisanship from pundits, but because appealing to a shared sense of community will help them connect with Americans now and increase support for equality-based messages and policies later.

For Democrats, there would likely be short-term benefits to these new rhetorical and policy focuses given the work both wings of the party need to do. Moderate Democrats need to rebuild the credibility they lost in failing to fight for equality and need to find a defining message. The left wing of the party needs to develop a strategy to build long-term, wider-spread support for their ideas. Fairness and community may well be the ideals that unite the partys two wings rhetorically, give the party a clear identity and sustain popularity for their policies. If Biden wants to heal the soul of the nation and build back better, he has a place to start.

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Democrats Have a Values Problem. But Heres How They Can Fix It. - POLITICO

Democrats are mulling whether they can use the 14th Amendment to prevent former President TrumpDonald TrumpBlinken holds first calls as Biden's secretary of State Senators discussing Trump censure resolution Dobbs: Republicans lost in 2020 because they 'forgot who was the true leader' MORE from ever holding office again.

The discussions are in the early stages and top members of the Senate caucus arent yet convinced its a viable remedy but senators are exploring their options as they plot a strategy after Trumps supporters stormed the Capitol.

Its an idea thats out there that I think people are contemplating in the accountability space, said Sen. Tim KaineTimothy (Tim) Michael KaineSenators discussing Trump censure resolution Overnight Defense: Army details new hair and grooming standards | DC National Guard chief says Pentagon restricted his authority before riot | Colorado calls on Biden not to move Space Command Senate GOP signals it's likely to acquit Trump for second time MORE (D-Va.), who described himself as quite confident that Congress could act under the constitutional amendment.

I just want us to choose a path that maximizes focus on the Biden-Harris agenda, Kaine added.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who caveated that talk of the 14th Amendment was hypothetical, said it could be applied to Trump, with one mechanism being a resolution from Congress.

The remedies of the 14th Amendment certainly may be appropriate for someone who incites an insurrection as Donald Trump did, said Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Chris MurphyChristopher (Chris) Scott MurphyThe Hill's Morning Report - Biden: Focus on vaccine, virus, travel Tensions running high after gun incident near House floor Democrats float 14th Amendment to bar Trump from office MORE (D-Conn.), cautioned that it was early, but called using the 14th Amendment certainly a possibility.

All of these are questions of first impression, in terms of constitutionality, he added. I certainly think there is a 14th Amendment avenue separate and aside from impeachment.

The possibility of using the 14th Amendment comes as Democrats have publicly called for Trump to be blocked from holding office down the line. Trump riled up his supporters on Jan. 6 at a rally outside the White House and urged them to march to the Capitol, where rioters subsequently stormed the building in a melee that left five people dead.

Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerHumanist Report host criticizes 'conservative Democrats:' They 'hold more power' than progressives Bush-, Obama-era officials urge Senate to swiftly confirm Biden's DHS pick OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Court upholds ruling invalidating Dakota Access, but doesn't shut down pipeline | Schumer calls for Biden to declare climate emergency | Biden seeks to bolster consultation with Indian Country MORE (D-N.Y.) has already pledged to hold a vote on blocking Trump from holding future office if the Senate votes to convict him as part of an impeachment trial for willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States. Though conviction requires two-thirds support, barring him from office in a subsequent vote would take only a simple majority.

After what he has done, the consequences of which we were all witness to, Donald Trump should not be eligible to run for office ever again, Schumer said on the Senate floor earlier this week.

The House is expected to send the lone impeachment article to the Senate on Monday, though Schumer noted he was discussing timing and the duration of the trial with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHumanist Report host criticizes 'conservative Democrats:' They 'hold more power' than progressives Dobbs: Republicans lost in 2020 because they 'forgot who was the true leader' Biden's Cabinet gradually confirmed by Senate MORE (R-Ky.). Absent an agreement, the trial will start at 1 p.m. the day after the article is received, unless thats a Sunday.

To convict Trump in an impeachment trial, Democrats would need their entire caucus plus 17 Republican senators, a high bar that they could fail to reach. Though several GOP senators and McConnell have blamed Trump for provoking the mob that stormed the Capitol, no Senate Republican has committed to voting to convict.

Kaine noted that the 14th Amendment could be pursued before or even after a trial if senators weren't able to convict Trump. He added that while there were extensive discussions going on about pursuing the 14th Amendment, the decision was ultimately up to leadership.

Spokesmen for Schumer didnt respond to a question about whether he supports trying to use the 14th Amendment separate from an impeachment trial.

The 14th Amendment jumped into the national discussion in the wake of the Capitol attack, in addition to impeachment and talk of invoking the 25th Amendment, an idea rejected by then-Vice President Pence.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment says that no public officials who had previously taken an oath to support the Constitution will hold office if they have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."

But there's skepticism from some high-ranking Democrats that the 14th Amendment could be used to block Trump from holding future office.

Sen. Dick DurbinDick DurbinOn The Money: GOP digs in on defending Trump tax cuts | Democrats bullish on raising minimum wage | Financial sector braces for Biden's consumer bureau pick Sen. Patrick Leahy returns home after being hospitalized Bush-, Obama-era officials urge Senate to swiftly confirm Biden's DHS pick MORE (D-Ill.), Schumers No. 2, noted that he had a long conversation with Kaine but wasnt yet sold on the idea that it could be pursued without Trump being convicted first.

I havent been convinced yet because the 14th Amendment is not explicit on how you determine whether someone participated in an insurrection. ... There is a real serious question if that conviction has not taken place, whether the Congress can have a finding, or the Senate can have a finding, that theyre guilty of insurrection and whether thats sufficient. So its unresolved, Durbin said.

Section 5 of the 14th Amendment stipulates that Congress has enforcement power by appropriate legislation.

But using the 14th Amendment to remove a president would put Congress in murky waters, both legally and politically.

The University of Virginias Philip Zelikow recently wrote in Lawfare that Congress can apply the 14th Amendment disqualification to Trump, by majority vote.

But University of Chicago Law Schools Daniel Hemel countered that barring Trump with only a simple majority vote would raise serious constitutional questions.

Trumps defenders would no doubt argue that the law violates the bill of attainder clause, and unlike many of Trumps legal arguments, this one would be far from frivolous, he added.

Instead, Hemel said, a better way would be for Congress to set up a judicial proceeding that would determine if someone was disqualified under Section 3 of the amendment.

Sen. Ben CardinBenjamin (Ben) Louis CardinOn The Money: GOP digs in on defending Trump tax cuts | Democrats bullish on raising minimum wage | Financial sector braces for Biden's consumer bureau pick The Hill's Morning Report - Biden argues for legislative patience, urgent action amid crisis The Hill's Morning Report - Biden: Focus on vaccine, virus, travel MORE (D-Md.) said he wanted more information, but questioned whether Congress needed to act in order for Trump to be blocked from future office.

He may already be barred, Cardin said.

Kaine, meanwhile, floated the idea that invoking the 14th Amendment against Trump could take several paths, but one option would be passing a resolution, which he believes would take 60 votes in the Senate, requiring the support of at least 10 Republicans.

It would be a 60 vote threshold, he said. And it wouldnt require a trial. It would be a debate on a resolution so take less time, easier threshold. If you cant get to 60, you wont get to 67.

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Democrats float 14th Amendment to bar Trump from office | TheHill - The Hill

Editors note: Gov. Tate Reeves delivered his annual State of the State address on Jan. 26, 2021.

Afterwards, Sen. Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville provided the Mississippi Democratic legislative response.

Below is a transcript of his speech:

Good afternoon. My name is Derrick T. Simmons. It is my great honor to represent the Mississippi Delta in the Mississippi Senate and I am delighted to speak to you tonight.

The last twelve months have been a time of significant change in Mississippi and the world. It was this time last year that Americans first learned of a virus that was perplexing doctors and scientists in Asia. Little did we know that COVID-19 would come to effect every aspect of life the world over.

As we talk tonight, nearly 6,000 Mississippians have died because of COVID-19 and more than a quarter million Mississippians have contracted the virus in the past year. This human loss has reverberated through every corner of our society. We have lost beloved family members, community leaders, pastors, teachers, health care workers, and colleagues. If you are mourning the loss of an irreplaceable friend or praying for the recovery of one of the hundreds of Mississippians receiving treatment in our hospitals right now, you are not alone.

To our healthcare workers those doctors, nurses, and staff who have applied every ounce of your creativity and determination in treating us, we thank you. With your work spaces filled to capacity and at a great personal risk, you have come in to work every day. We will never forget your commitment to our communities.

With vaccines making their way to Mississippi, there is light at the end of the tunnel. When Mississippians are vaccinated, we will turn the corner. Of course, demand is high and after a year of keeping our guards up, patience is running thin. But weve come too far to give up now. New vaccine appointments are opening up each week. To see if you are eligible to receive a vaccine and to schedule your appointment, check with the Mississippi Department of Health by calling 1-866-458-4948 or visiting msdh.ms.gov. The pandemic has also had a devastating impact on our work force, small businesses, and local governments. Tens of thousands of Mississippians have been laid off during the pandemic. These historic job losses have drained our states unemployment trust fund and left families struggling to buy groceries and other basic necessities. We must provide support to individuals who have found themselves out of work through no fault of their own.

We must also make sure that the hundreds of millions of dollars appropriated to small business relief finds its way to Mississippis main streets. If we are being honest, COVID small business dollars have moved too slowly and the Back to Business grant program has been embarrassingly inefficient. People struggling to keep their businesses open and take care of their employees need help now. Democrats in the legislature know that this economic crisis is real and stand ready to fight for additional aid.

Despite these enormous challenges, Mississippians have already begun to turn their eyes toward a brighter future. On Nov. 3, nearly 3 out of 4 Mississippians voted to adopt a new state flag that represents all Mississippians. This has been a dream of Democrats in the legislature since Civil Rights hero and former state representative Aaron Henry filed the first bill to change the state flag in 1988. Since that time, Democrats have filed hundreds of bills to give Mississippi a more unifying state symbol. Until 2020, none of those bills made it out of a legislative committee.

While there is plenty of credit to go around to Republicans, Democrats, business leaders, and national athletic associations, Mississippi Democrats know that this change would never have happened if Mississippis young people had not stood up to demand change. We are in debt to the teenagers and college students who organized for a new state flag. You have shown us that Mississippi is capable of doing hard and historic things and your creativity and courage in the face of enormous difficulty has inspired us all.

Mississippis young people know that while a new state flag is a powerful and necessary step toward the future, it is only a step. Mississippi must live into the promises it has made to provide a great education to all of its students and a competitive salary for all of its teachers. We are not there yet.

In the words of Mississippis Education Governor William Winter, the road out of the poor house, runs past the school house. We lost Governor Winter late last year but we remain committed to his work. Governor, Mississippi has still not completed construction of the road out of the poor house but Mississippi Democrats have their hard hats on and were going to keep following your road map.

If we are going to be a state worthy of our young people, we must also figure out a way to provide health coverage for our citizens. While the modern world has embraced healthcare innovations, Mississippi remains at the bottom in both health insurance coverage and health outcomes. The shortsighted politics of Mississippi Republicans have cost Mississippi billions of dollars and left our hospitals hanging on by a thread. If Governor Reeves will not expand Medicaid, it is past time for him and Republican leaders to come up with an alternative. Identity politics do not pay the hospital bills.

As we inch toward a more hopeful future, we must continue to look out for each other. This means being honest about our successes and our failures. Our politics have become corrosive. This is primarily the cause of politicians who would rather tell you what you want to hear than deal with harsh realities. As legislative Democrats we are recommitting ourselves to the truth. That means we will be honest when we get it wrong and we will make sure to show gratitude when Republicans get it right as they did on the flag vote this summer and the teacher pay raise last week. Because it is really not about us versus them. It is about all of us working together to find solutions to our biggest challenges.

Those of you listening tonight have a part to play as well. We can all look out for each other by continuing to wear a mask and looking for ways to help our most vulnerable neighbors. We can also seek out opportunities to develop relationships with people who are different than us. We have to break out of our information silos to ensure that were not simply surrounding ourselves with the information we like. If we commit ourselves to being better neighbors and commit ourselves to the truth, we will force our politicians to be better.

Thank you for listening and thank you for all you are doing to take care of your community. I pray for a better year for you, the people you love, and for this state we love.

-- Article credit to the staff of Mississippi Today --

See more here:

State of the State: Mississippi Democratic legislative response | Press Register - Clarksdale Press Register

A potent atmospheric river barreled ashore in Northern California, bringing downpours and high winds that knocked out power, downed trees and generally made life miserable.

The onslaught is expected to continue possibly through Friday, although winds are expected to ease up.

As of Wednesday at midday, there were around 10,000 people without power in Woodland and 9,000 in Davis, according to PG&E officials. Power being restored across parts of Woodland by PG&E crews while staff from the citys Public Works Department were out cutting up fallen trees or tree limbs and clearing streets which were hardest hit.

But the work has been slow.

Meanwhile, residents were out early morning, sweeping debris from roads and gutters to allow water to make its way into drains. For most, the storm was an inconvenience, leaving overturned trash toters and plenty of detritus in their front yards or on sidewalks.

But for others, the blast of the atmospheric river could have been deadly with some trees falling on homes, or bringing down live power lines. Woodland firefighters and police responded throughout the night to reports of problems from major to minor.

Firefighters reported responding to more than 50 calls overnight with more during the day while police reported making 155 calls during same period.

Some senior citizens who lost power but were on oxygen needed assistance as did the owners of some businesses, who found their alarms going off. Some roads were also closed due to localized flooding, notably sections of Beamer Street and North Pioneer Avenue.

While the rain was bad, it was the wind that did the worst damage. There were wind gust reports of 67 mph in Sacramento, and the peak at Alpine Meadows ski resort near Lake Tahoe had a 125 mph wind gust, the National Weather Service said.

The wind was so powerful locally it blew at least three big-rigs off Interstate 5, resulting in the closure of southbound I-5 starting at Hwy. 113 south to the Sacramento Airport.

The road was closed down around 1:30 a.m. when a big-rig went off the bypass. A portion of the rig was still dangling over the bridge as of 6 a.m., according to Caltrans. As of 10:30 a.m., the big-rigs were cleared and traffic reopened on southbound I-5.

Areas in Woodland without power were primarily located on the south and southwest side. Downtown Woodland did have power as of early Wednesday, but there were fluctuations as a result of the continuing winds, which were expected by the weather service to start dying down around 8 a.m.

However, as of noon, large stretches of the city were still without power.

Woodland schools were affected but power was coming back on, officials reported. At the beginning of Wednesday, there were power outages at about 50% of local schools. Power has been restored, however, at Plainfield, Spring lake, Prairie, Zamora and Freeman elementary schools, Sci-tech in Knights Landing, Pioneer and Woodland High schools.

Although these schools have power, we do realize that many of the students that attend may not, according to a statement from the district. Even with schools that do not have power, we are moving forward with synchronous instruction with the understanding that some students may need accommodations to make up work once power and internet service is restored. Individual school sites will be communicating with their families about asynchronous opportunities as well.

Elsewhere, more than 36,100 Bay Area customers of PG&E were without power, and nearly 100,000 lost electricity in the Sacramento area, SFGate.com reported.

People were being advised by emergency services personnel to stay home if they had nowhere to be in order to avoid falling trees, blocks streets and other debris on roads.

The atmospheric river a huge plume of moisture extending over the Pacific was preceded by lighter rain before intensifying Tuesday evening, hitting the North Bay first, then spreading south to Santa Cruz, Monterey and Big Sur. Rare snow was reported in Sonoma and Napa counties north of San Francisco at elevations as low as 1,300 feet.

Debris flows torrents carrying massive boulders, soil, trees and other objects are considered more dangerous than mudslides or landslides. The Jan. 9, 2018, debris flow that blasted the Santa Barbara County community of Montecito killed 23 people.

Flash flood watches were issued for two other Northern California areas scorched by lightning complexes, and snow was forecast to fall as low as the floor of the Sacramento Valley. Travelers were urged to stay off mountain roads above the valley.

The National Weather Service issued a rare blizzard warning for Lake Tahoe and much of the Sierra, forecasting up to 6 feet of snow falling on upper elevations and winds in excess of 100 mph over ridgetops.

Describing it as a potential life-threatening situation, the warning was to be in effect from 10 p.m. Tuesday through 4 a.m. Friday for the Tahoe area as far south as Mammoth Lakes.

The Washoe County School District notified parents Tuesday night all Nevada public schools in Reno-Sparks and the north Lake Tahoe area would be closed Wednesday and remain closed Thursday at Incline Village on the lakes northeast shore.

A warning was also issued for widespread high avalanche danger on the eastern slopes of the Sierra because of heavy snow combining with wind from before dawn Wednesday through Friday morning.

We cannot stress this enough, the California Department of Transportation tweeted. If you have not arrived to your destination before sunset tonight, travel to the Sierra is not advised. Heavy snow is on tap and whiteout conditions are expected.

Meanwhile, icy conditions in mountains north of Los Angeles shut vital Interstate 5 in Tejon Pass until early afternoon. Some truckers tried old narrow mountain roads around the closure and became stuck. In the same region, State Route 58 in Tehachapi Pass reopened at late morning after an overnight closure.

In the Sierra Nevada, the closure of Yosemite National Park was extended to at least Jan. 30. The park sustained heavy damage more than a week ago when it was battered by fierce winds that swept through California before the onset of the current storms.

While the upcoming storm could pose danger, it could help ease dry conditions that have left more than 95% of California experiencing drought.

The Associated Press and The Daily Democrat contributed to this report.

This story will be updated as new information becomes available.

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Storm cleanup continues as another system moves in - Woodland Daily Democrat