Category Archives: Libertarian

Sunday, February 02, 2020 6:07 p.m. EST

By Praveen Menon

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's opposition party has ruled out a post-election deal with the party of Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, setting the stage for a close contest at the polls this year as both major parties may struggle to form a government.

Peters, a seasoned politician and leader of New Zealand First party, has often played the role of kingmaker in the country's German-style proportional representation electoral system.

He sided with Jacinda Ardern's Labour Party in the 2017 polls allowing her to unexpectedly form a center-left coalition government with NZ First and the Green Party.

Prime Minister Ardern has announced elections will be on Sept. 19, and kicked off a lengthy election campaign last week with promises of massive infrastructure spending.

The main center-right opposition National Party leader Simon Bridges said late on Sunday that he could not trust Peters, and New Zealand voters should have a clear choice about what they are getting when they go to the ballot box.

"A vote for NZ First is a vote for Labour and the Greens," Bridges said.

"I don't believe we can work with NZ First and have a constructive trusting relationship," he added.

The move weakens Peters' NZ First party, which is the only center party in parliament, and has been the only party with the ability to work with either the left bloc or right bloc, analysts said.

"This is likely to have a negative impact on NZ First's popularity, because they are now going to be less relevant. They now look less powerful, as they no longer have leverage or the potential to negotiate with both blocs," said political commentator Bryce Edwards of Victoria University in Wellington.

The National Party is hoping the move will weaken the Labour-led coalition and help it secure the votes of conservative NZ First supporters, Edwards added.

But National would also need to get as close to a majority as possible to secure a win, as it only has the small, libertarian ACT Party as a possible coalition partner.

Opinion polls last November showed National had 46% support, Labour had 39%, Greens had 7% and NZ first had just 4%. A political party has to win 5% of the votes or an electoral seat to get into parliament.

"Simon Bridges has just made it quite clear that he still has a lot to learn about politics," Peters said in a statement on Twitter in response to National's decision.

The election is a test for Ardern, who is hugely popular among liberal voters overseas thanks to her decisive response to the March 2019 mass shooting in Christchurch, her focus on climate change action and multilateralism, and her ability to combine motherhood and leadership.

But her popularity at home has been affected by slowing economic growth and low business confidence.

(Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

Link:

Ahead of polls, New Zealand's opposition party rules out deal with kingmaker Peters - Midwest Communication

By Guest Commentary | CalMatters

By Marc Joffe, Special to CalMatters

Originally published on Thursday, January 30

Many of California's primary voters are understandably focused on the Democratic presidential primary. But their March 3 ballots will also contain significant school bond measures that demand consideration.

State voters will be asked to weigh in on Proposition 13, a $15 billion general obligation bond that would subsidize school infrastructure projects around the state.

Separately, K-12 school districts and community college districts have placed bond measures on local ballots authorizing an additional $17 billion in borrowing.

Statewide, Californians do not appear to be straining the capacity of the state's school infrastructure.

Enrollment in traditional K-12 public schools has been roughly stagnant for years. Community College student enrollment peaked in 2008-09 at 2.9 million students, fell rapidly after the end of the Great Recession as prospective students found jobs, and has started ticking back up with 2.4 million enrolled in 2018-19.

Further, the state has already made significant investment in K-14 infrastructure.

According to the State Treasurer's DebtWatch database, school and community college districts issued $125 billion in general obligation bonds from 1984 to 2019, refinancing excluded. Plus, voters approved five statewide education bond measures between 1998 and 2016 totaling $54 billion.

With flat-to-declining enrollment figures, does the state really need to borrow billions more to fund investments in school infrastructure?

Undoubtedly, California must maintain and replace aging school buildings. But is a price tag in the tens of billions necessary, especially when California suffers from congested highways and an acute housing shortage?

The new Proposition 13 authorizes $9 billion in borrowing for K-12 schools, $2 billion for community colleges and $4 billion for state universities. Most of the money takes the form of matching funds, which local districts can use to top up their own building programs.

In the rush to qualify for these funds, over 110 districts have placed bond measures on the March ballot.

Some of the larger bond measures have attracted criticism.

For example, West Contra Costa Unified's $575 million measure was panned in a recent San Jose Mercury News editorial. The newspaper observed that the nearly insolvent district already has $1.4 billion in outstanding bonds with plans to issue $200 million in previously authorized debt this year.

If voters approve the latest measure, the district's bond program would approach $70,000 per student and the owner of a home with an average assessment would pay almost $1100 in property taxes for school debt service alone.

In the Central Valley, opponents of Merced Community College District's $247 million bond measure questioned whether additional borrowing would improve student success, noting that the college has suffered a 12% enrollment decline and "recently lost $3.8 million in state funding because students aren't meeting state-mandated performance measures."

An even more debatable bond measure is on the ballot in the Bay Area.

The San Francisco Community College District is asking voters to authorize $845 million in new bonds despite suffering a catastrophic decline in enrollment due in part to an accreditation controversy.

Fearing that their Community College of San Francisco degrees might prove worthless in the job market, many students went elsewhere. Enrollment plunged from 90,000 in 2011-12 to 65,000 today. With so much excess capacity at the school, it is hard to understand why additional construction is necessary.

And with so many San Franciscans living on the streets, investing in educational infrastructure seems to be an especially odd priority. Indeed, many Community College of San Francisco students are homeless as are over 1,800 of the city's K-12 pupils.

While not all the local bond measures are objectionable as the ones I have highlighted here, voters should take a critical look at the bonds on their ballots. If the proposals lack specificity, result in overcapacity, or lead to excessive district debt, a "no" vote would be the judicious choice.

_______

Marc Joffe is a senior policy analyst at the libertarian Reason Foundation in Los Angeles, marc.joffe@reason.org. He wrote this commentary for CALmatters. To read his previous commentary for CalMatters, please click here.

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics. Sign up for our newsletters and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Read the original here:

CA Voters Asked To Approve $17B In School Construction Bonds; Much Of It Unneeded (Opinion) - Patch.com

Libertarians and other political third-parties will soon find out if fairness in federal courts extends to political third-parties, or is fairness confined to major party candidates. The answer will establish the degree of loyalty each branch of government has to political parties over the Constitution.

On the week of February 10, 2020 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, will hear argument in Jacobson v. Lee. This case is on appeal from a district court ruling that held unconstitutional a Florida statute that granted top ballot position to all candidates of the Governors political party. In Florida there has been a Republican Governor since 1998.

The Democrats argue that granting the top spot on all ballots to Republicans gives them an electoral advantage. Expert evidence at trial established that first listed candidates have gained an average electoral advantage of five percentage points due to ballot position. Since Governor Scott was elected in 2010 by a 1.2% margin and in 2018 Governor DeSantis won with only a 0.4 % margin, ballot position determined the outcome of both races.

In down-ballot races, the effect gives a 3.1% to 5.6% advantage to top spot candidates.

In Jacobson, the lower court found the impact of ballot placement based on the outcome of the last Governors race to be a denial of equal protection and discriminatory because it selects ballot position based solely on party affiliation.

The lower court offers solutions; at least 29 states either rotate or randomize the order of candidate names in general elections to neutralize the effects of position bias. For example, Ohio requires candidate ballot position be rotated from one precinct to another. Hawaii requires candidates be in alphabetical order. Colorado arranges candidate ballot position by lot, however, it undercuts its neutrality by dividing the candidates into two groups: major party and minor party candidates.

Jacobson is important to every minor party. For decades minor parties have fought merely to secure ballot access. A few have gained access in many states, but usually not all states. Now, minor parties have evidence that ballot placement is a critical matter once ballot access is secured.

Rigging elections occurs in many ways, not just intimidation and fake news. Denying fair ballot position also manipulates votes. The impact of these discriminatory actions is to limit the votes received and the fundraising potential of minor parties, while denying attention to their ideas.

Many articles ago, I addressed the monopoly the two major parties have over our political system.

The two major parties manipulate election laws to ensure one of their loyalists almost always wins the election. Controlling who wins directly translates into what laws are enacted, which citizens or corporations receive subsidies, who is taxed more or taxed less, how commerce is regulated and who will judge us should we violate any command.

According to an article in the Daily Kos ,there are 519,682 elected officeholders in the United States. Of this total, the Libertarian Party, in 2017, claims 168 of these officeholders; the Green Party in 2016 held 143 offices, and the Constitution Party holds 12 offices. Many of these positions are non-partisan offices. There are also, at least 26 Independent office holders, including 2 U.S. Senators who caucus with the Democrats, and 26 Democratic Vermont Progressives. A basic calculation places the third-party competitors share of the political market at 0.0006754%; almost zero.

What makes the power of the major parties so baffling is that political parties are not mentioned in our Constitution. Political parties are merely groups of individuals who organize to control government. In fact, for the first several years of our Republic, there were no political parties. Moreover, the major parties maintain complete control of the political marketplace against the fact that 57% of Americans believe a third political party is needed, according to a Gallup poll.

Again, I ask: does judicial fairness apply to minor political parties?

It may not, but the ballot position cases offer clear evidence of discriminatory impact on minor parties and open up a new line of attack for minor parties to seek fairer elections and greater voter participation.

A November 1, 2019 report in Ballot Access News illustrates how discriminatory our electoral system is against minor parties. It found [t]he U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear every election law cert. petition presented by a minor party or independent candidate starting in 1992, unless the Republican Party or the Democratic Party was also a party to the same case.

Action

Since Jacobson is only a dispute between the major parties, both having a great stake in the outcome, it is likely to be resolved by the Supreme Court. This gives the minor parties a chance to file Friends of the Courts briefs to educate the court on the plight of minor parties in ballot cases and the impact of discrimination on the voice of voters.

Party affiliation should not guarantee a 3.1% to 5.6% vote advantage to the two major parties; they have legislated themselves too many electoral advantages. Elections are for citizens to elect their representatives, not for political parties to control the nation.

Here is the original post:

Will SCOTUS Hearing on Ballot Position Apply to Minor Political Parties? - The Libertarian Republic

Welcome to The LATEST, your one-stop shop for todays top local news. We are a team of dedicated journalists who spend countless hours investigating and producing stories about the issues that affect your lives. We cant do this without you! Our nonprofit newsroom powers both LAist and 89.3 KPCC, the No. 1 NPR station in Southern California. Were only here because readers like you have stepped up to become members.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

Updated February 3, 2020 12:21 PM

Published February 3, 2020 12:10 PM

There's no shortage of criticisms about the standardized tests most colleges use to decide whether to admit students. Opponents say the SAT and ACT tests are a better measure of whether you can afford test preparation than a gauge of academic aptitude.

The University of California system has been debating whether to keep the tests, and last year it asked faculty leaders to study the issue. Now the results of the yearlong review are in:

Don't ditch the tests, faculty leaders say.

Well, that's the very short answer. The Academic Senate's executive committee released more than 200 pages of reasons why they think the tests are worthwhile. The main takeaway: after factoring in demographics and other socioeconomic information, less-advantaged students are actually admitted at a higher rate than other students with similar test scores.

The committee's preliminary recommendations will continue to be debated over the next few months. The full Academic Senate is expected to issue a final set of policy recommendations at its meeting in April.

You can read the full report here:

GO DEEPER:

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

Weather Alert

Updated February 3, 2020 11:46 AM

Published February 3, 2020 10:53 AM

Gusty winds are sweeping across Southern California this morning.

Across the region, winds will be blowing up to 50 mph, with gusts up to 70 mph, before gradually tapering off, according to the National Weather Service. Isolated gusts of up to 90 mph in the hills around the I-5 corridor are also expected.

Drivers beware. Meteorologist David Sweet says these strong winds can make you lose control of your vehicle.

He also advises homeowners to be mindful about the items they're leaving outside.

As a matter of fact, I heard potted plants being blown off balconies last night and crashing, so any potted plants, any loose items should be brought indoors, Sweet says.

And whenever we get high winds like this, you can count on reports of downed trees and problems with the power grid. The Huntington Library and Gardens says its closed today because it lost power.

Mayor Eric Garcetti noted on Twitter that crews have been working to restore electricity in neighborhoods where the wind knocked down power lines.

Slightly calmer Santa Anas are expected tomorrow, and temperatures are expected to remain cool Monday and Tuesday, with a slow warm-up later in the week.

GO DEEPER:

Brianna Flores and Brian Frank

Highway Shooting

Updated February 3, 2020 11:50 AM

Published February 3, 2020 10:22 AM

A woman is dead and five others injured after someone opened fire on a Greyhound bus bound for San Francisco.

The California Highway Patrol says a man boarded the 6848-1 and then started firing shots just before 1:30 Monday morning, while the bus was traveling on Interstate 5. The bus then pulled over near Lebec, and the alleged shooter got off.

The woman who died is believed to be from Colombia. Two of those injured are in serious condition.

A suspect is in custody. Its still unclear whether this was a random or targeted shooting.

"At this time there's no evidence to indicate that there was terrorism involved, or anything like that. We are still trying to establish a motive," CHP Sgt. Brian Pennings said at a late morning press conference.

A black handgun with additional magazines were left behind and later recovered by authorities, Pennings said.

Passengers are being questioned. Police say cell phones are being provided to passengers so that they can contact their loved ones.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone and every family member impacted by the incident today," Greyhound said in a statement.

This is a developing story.

The California Highway Patrol says a man got onto bus 6848-1 and started firing shots just before 1:30 Monday morning.

Brianna Flores

Warehouse Destroyed

Updated February 3, 2020 12:40 PM

Published February 3, 2020 10:10 AM

A four-alarm fire early Sunday wiped out the inventory and Irvine headquarters of Working Wardrobes, a nonprofit dedicated to providing professional attire and job training for people who've fallen on hard times and are trying to get back into the workforce.

The fire broke out at 5:50 a.m. Sunday. Video posted on Twitter by the Orange County Fire Authority showed massive flames billowing into the sky.

OCFA spokesman Tony Bommarito said firefighters initially pulled back because of the intense heat and smoke. "It was too dangerous," he said.

Working Wardrobes posted a press release on its website:

"Everything has been destroyed, including:

Donation Center: Large warehouse filled with racks, bins, and boxes filled with thousands of donations. Including jackets, pants, shirts, blouses, ties, shoes, jewelry and additional accessories, as well as housewares, office and cleaning supplies.

Career Center: Computer labs where clients worked to research and apply for jobs online, training rooms and IT computer lab. Plus, the VetNet team and program for veterans, SCSEP program for seniors, all client services for women, men, young adults, and all wardrobing services.

"We are absolutely devastated by this catastrophic loss, the heart of our operations is gone and so is 30 years of history," Working Wardrobes founder and CEO Jerri Rosen said in a statement. "We are grateful and relieved to report that no one was hurt or in the building at the time of the fire. Now our job is to get back on our feet so we can serve our clients very quickly and we aim to do just that with the help of our remarkable community."

The organization will set up temporary headquarters at a Goodwill facility in Santa Ana.

Bommarito says the preliminary estimate is $10 million in damage to the building and a $2 million loss of contents in the building, but that last figure may go up when Working Wardrobes does a full inventory.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"At this point were not ruling out anything," he said. "This is a super challenging fire investigation because of the amount of damage. You have the entire roof laying on everything that burned below. This is very challenging to be able to get in there and start working on that."

Crews will be on site in the next several days. Bommarito said his agency will look at whether it was intentionally set.

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

Broken Buildings

Updated February 3, 2020 6:05 AM

Published February 3, 2020 6:05 AM

You know that sinking feeling you get in your stomach when a pipe breaks and you get the plumbers bill? Well imagine taking a look at an invoice for close to $4 billion.

Thats what it would cost if you total up everything on all 23 campuses of the California State University system that needs to be fixed and maintained the heating and air-conditioning systems, the sidewalks, the locker-room lockers, the elevators, and on and on.

Some of that work is contracted out, but a lot of the daily maintenance falls to a relatively handful of trades workers. Christopher Rooney, a metal worker at Cal State Northridge, let LAist tag along while he made his rounds. When hes not crawling around in air-conditioning ducts, hes got plenty more to do. Mostly by himself the only other metal worker on the campus recently retired. He told us:

A lot of times there will be what they call trip hazards, cement will move and stuff or crack on walkways, and we have to constantly fix that. Handrails get broken, we fix those because once metal breaks it tends to be sharp and people can get hurt on that.

Everything Rooney and all of his fellow trade workers on all of the Cal State campuses is in this 282-page report. Be warned it isnt light reading.

GO DEEPER:

This Is What A $4 Billion Maintenance Backlog Feels Like To A Cal State Worker (LAist)

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

VOTER GAME PLAN

Updated February 3, 2020 6:00 AM

Published February 3, 2020 6:00 AM

Primary election season 2020 is officially underway vote-by-mail ballots start going out today (although you still have till Feb. 25 to request yours). Our Voter Game Plan project has been fielding questions about all the big changes happening in the way we vote.

Here's one question we've been hearing: "I want to vote in the presidential primary. Do I have to change my party registration to vote for the candidate I want?"

You might have heard about a change this year that lets you vote for a candidate in the presidential primary even if you are not registered with that candidate's party and that's partially true.

If you are a registered voter with any party be it Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, etc. you'll automatically get a ballot with your party's presidential candidates. Simple enough.

If youre registered as No Party Preference, you are still allowed to vote for a presidential candidate in the Democratic, Libertarian, or American Independent parties. But in order to do so, you have to request what's called a "crossover ballot." If you plan to vote in person, you can simply request one when you get to the voting center.

But if you're voting by mail, then youll have to request that crossover ballot before February 25. You can do that by contacting your county elections office.

For L.A. County residents: The Los Angeles County Registrar's office in Norwalk is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at (800) 815-2666. You'll get a phone menu to navigate, so here's a shortcut: press 2 and then 3 to reach someone who can help you request a crossover ballot. You can also email voterinfo@rrcc.lacounty.gov for more help.

Important reminder! This does not apply to the Republican, Green or Peace and Freedom parties. Youll have to register with those parties if you want to vote for their candidates.

Have more questions about the voting process? Our Voter Game Plan has been answering frequently asked ones here. If you want to ask us anything else, submit your question below.

GO DEEPER:

Brianna Lee

COMING UP

Updated February 3, 2020 10:23 AM

Published February 3, 2020 5:00 AM

In case you weren't watching, the Kansas City Chiefs staged a final-quarter comeback to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years, beating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. There was also that superstar halftime show, with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez sharing a stage, and another tribute to late Lakers great Kobe Bryant.

But on to Monday. Temperatures will be in the 60s today, and you can expect a very chilly night -- the mercury could dip into the high 30s. If you're planning to brave the waves, note that a high surf advisory is in effect through tomorrow.

The March 3 primary is on the horizon. We now know where all of the county's new vote centers will be, and vote-by-mail ballots go out today.

What Were Covering:

Help Us Cover Your Community:

The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft.

Brian Frank

Read the original here:

Fire Wipes Out OC Nonprofit That Helps People Get Back Into The Workforce - LAist

Ipswich man Anthony Bull has put his hand up to run for Division 2 in this year's historic election.

Mr Bull, a second generation Ipswich resident, works in digital marketing and analytics.

"I went to Redbank Plains State School before moving to Westside Christian College, then I actually enrolled at the University of Queensland at Ipswich before the business element got shut down and moved to St Lucia," he said.

"My history here (Ipswich) also extends to my parents; my dad used to be the president of one of the local soccer clubs. He has a field named after him at Westminster Soccer Club; the Kevin Bull field down in Redbank Plains.

"My mother works in a couple of charities here and my wife is from Ipswich as well."

Mr Bull said he wanted to run for council because he had a passion for politics and believed he could do better than the previous council.

"The previous council was a perfect example of an unchecked government," he said

"I'm a big believer in government transparency and government accountability; that the people who work in government have to answer to the people who voted them in."

Mr Bull has three main focuses if elected to council, which include not only streaming council meetings but having audio transcribed as a way of ensuring accountability.

"The other two issues that my platform is about are ending the gouging of rate payers by looking at some of the policies that were implemented by the previous government," he said.

"Perhaps some of the services we agreed to aren't the best service at the same price.

"The fact that there was corruption makes me think that there are some services there that need to be looked at."

Mr Bull was very open and admitted he hadn't done any specific research as to why he thought rates were higher but has looked at some previous budgets made by council.

He said he also wanted to support business growth, believing that embracing more business would make way for more jobs in the region.

Mr Bull registered with his wife as a group for council election in order to run as a Liberal Democrat because the party is not registered with the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

"The Liberal Democratic Party of Australia is only registered at the federal level at this stage but not at the state level," Mr Bull said.

"I kind of convinced her to run with me, I didn't want to run as an independent," he said.

"I wanted to let my flag fly and who I am is a member of the Liberal Democrats and for that reason I needed her help.

"You can't run as a group with one person and for her she's really helped me out a lot, she's mostly in it to help me out. She was thinking about running but she's mostly here to help me out for sure."

Mr Bull's wife, Jacinta, is registered as a Division 1 candidate but has since decided to change to Division 3.

"We just sort of did some polling and found there was more support in that area we did some research and thought that (Division 3) was a better fit."

Mrs Bull is not taking media interviews regarding her candidacy for Division 3.

Excerpt from:

Proud Libertarian to run in upcoming council election - Queensland Times

I never meant to hate the Super Bowl. I actually love football. When Jim McMahon shimmied the Bears through New Orleans in 1986, I was obsessed. Walter Payton, Willie Gault, Mike Singletary and The Fridge! They were the best. See? I go way back with the pigskin.

But, the tipping point for my current disdain for the Super Bowl can be found at the bottom of a Rice Krispie Treat Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bowl. Looking right at you, Rachael Ray, who left out the handfuls of self loathing and regret in the recipe.

Stack on endless bowls of queso over the years, and I dont want to see anything that looks like a Super Bowl. I dont even care about the commercials, although it would be clever for Snickers to bring back that guy painting the end zone who spelled "Chefs" instead of "Chiefs." (I called it! What are the Vegas odds on that? Can I parlay that with an appearance from Jerry of Netflixs Cheer? Is that how parlay works?)

Here are some alternative, mostly food-related, opportunities to spend the day.

A Flavorful Cultural Tour

Walking past the countless trays of food at Fattoush in Pantego, its hard not to pull up a seat at every table. Recently, we ordered the chicken shish tawook with an extra side of rice for less than $15, and it was more than enough for two adults. The tender cubes of chicken with that kiss from the grill, are wrapped with Iraqi-style bread with some of the grilled onions, pickles and a dollop of hummus, and it is, in fact, food that should sustain us.

Have you ever walked into an Asian market, then walked right back out? Me, too! High five! Lost in the Sauce and The Table are hosting a culinary tour, Art of Pho, at the Hong Kong Market at Asian Times Square (2615 W. Pioneer Parkway in Arlington) this Sunday. The tour will focus on the ingredients for a traditional Vietnamese pho and will end with a hot bowl of pho in the food court, and its BYOB.

If you havent been to Kalachandjis, or its been a while, lets change that. Housed inside a Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas, theyve been serving pungent vegetarian Indian food, buffet style, for almost four decades. Theres no other place quite like it.

Whens the last time you had fresh naan right out of tandoor? Thats too long. At Tandoor in Arlington (1200 N. Fielder Road), the lamb kofta made with nuts, raisins and served in a velvety cream curry is a pleasure. The butter chicken is raved about, as is the paneer, but if you have to try one thing, make sure you get fresh keema naan, stuffed with ground lamb, herbs and nuts. And theyre only $2.25 each, so get seven.

Royal Sichuancertainly won't have the game on, and some laud it as the best cuisine from that region in the city. Must-try dishes include the fish hot spicy pot, the deep-fried chicken with roasted chilis and the sliced beef with cumin sauce.

Sunday Is Groundhog Day

It doesn't seem fair that groundhogs have to share their one day of the year with the Super Bowl, right? But, they got Bill Murray on their team, so they always win. Most of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemasin the Dallas area are hosting at least one screening of the classic Groundhog Day this Sunday. Some of the shows are at 11 a.m. and you can get brunch (which they serve all day everyday). And theres at least one showing at 4 p.m.

The weather is supposed to be spectacular Sunday. Go out and get some sun! The Dallas Arboretum is hosting its 2nd Annual Groundhog Day Celebration. Arboretum Annie will be up shortly after the sun, but the festivities are rolling most of the day with breakfast options, and a screening of Groundhog Day.

#SuperbOwl

Lauren Drewes Daniels

Trivia

Four Corners Brewing Co. will host Geeks Who Drink Trivia starting at 5 p.m. Sunday. Theyre also hosting a Handmade Pasta Two Ways class at 1 p.m.

And Trinity Hallwill have trivia, which is hosted by Libertarians. No, silly. Not libraRIANS. No one wants to play trivia with librarians theyd clap you back on every question. Were talking about the political party. LiberTARIANS. Totally different game. The Libertarian Party of Dallas County will host the Sunday night trivia at Trinity Hall at 7 p.m. Show your feelings in your team name, that's all I got.

Learn About Owls

An unintended consequence of wing sauce and typing on a small screen is some love for owls. Yep, follow #SuperbOwls. Here's some information about Barred Owls, The Troubadours of the Trees along Dallas' Trinity Trails. Also you can head out to Cedar Ridge Preserve, which is typically pretty busy on Sundays, but I imagine there will be a little more space this Sunday. You will not regret time spent here. Not sure if you'll spot an owl, but use your imagination.

Continue reading here:

Dallas Food Events Not Around the Superbowl - Dallas Observer

ATLANTA State Rep. Shaw Blackmon may have jumped in the middle of a growing power struggle between Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia House Speaker David Ralston.

Blackmon, a Bonaire Republican, chairs the House Government Affairs Committee. This week, the committee was discussing whether to push legislation that would eliminate the so-called "jungle primary."

The jungle primary would lump candidates running to fill Johnny Isakson's set into a single primary race -- whether they're.Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and anyone else.

Isakson left office Dec. 31 for health reasons, with two years left in his six-year term. Under current law, the governor appoints a replacement until the next general elections, which is Nov. 3.

Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler, a wealthy Atlanta Republican to the position., even though President Donald Trump made it clear he preferred U.S. Rep. Doug Collins.

Collins holds Georgias 9th District congressional seat. He has been a staunch Trump supporter during the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the president. Collins made it known last year that he wanted Kemp to appoint him to the Senate seat. He also hinted that he might run for the job in November if he didnt get the appointment.

A few years ago, Collins served in the Georgia House of Representatives when Ralston made his first attempt at becoming speaker. Collins supported Ralston then and later was a key component of the Ralston for speaker movement when Ralston won the position.

In addition to being a military veteran and politician, Collins is a minister. Earlier this week, Collins served as the guest minster for the Georgia House, where he delivered the morning spiritual comments and prayer. Collins also made it known that hes a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat, and he got Ralstons endorsement.

Before the Loeffler appointment, Ralston was disgruntled with Kemps budget reduction proposals, which the governor insists must be made to keep Georgia financially solvent. Kemp isnt pleased with Ralstons senatorial endorsement. Adding the elimination of the jungle primary to the discord and an old-fashioned political slugfest appears certain under the Gold Dome.

With the jungle primary in place, Loeffler and all the other candidates would meet in a November special election for the right to serve the remainder of the Isakson term. If a candidate didnt receive more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff would be held Jan. 5, 2021.

That brings the situation back to Blackmon and his Government Affairs Committee. The committee was discussing eliminating the jungle primary and having party primaries on May 19.

That way Democratic, Republican and Libertarian voters would choose their own representatives instead getting tossed into a single field The party representatives would meet in the Nov. 3 general election.

During discussions, Blackmon threw his unwavering support behind party primaries.

If you trust the primary process and if you trust the voters and want to give them the max opportunity to weigh in as members of parties that are integral part of our process, I would ask you to vote in favor of this bill, Blackmon said.

After Blackmons comments, both Democrats and Republicans supported the measure. There was one dissenting vote. House Bill 757 now heads to the House Rules Committee for consideration. If approved there, it would go to the full House for consideration. Ralston is expected to support the measure.

If approved by the full House, it would go the Senate for consideration. If approved there it would go to the governor who would either sign the measure into law or veto it.

Kemp said hell veto it. Kemp and others believe that the jungle-primary format would help Loeffler and hurt Collins, compared to a party primary.

It would take two-thirds votes in the House and Senate to override a veto. Well see how this political slugfest shakes out.

RELATED: Shaw Blackmon wins Houston District 146 race

RELATED: Rep. Doug Collins announces Senate run against Loeffler

RELATED: Kelly Loeffler sworn in as Georgia's newest senator

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THE SAVAGE TRUTH: Shaw Blackmon in the middle of a 'jungle' brawl - 13WMAZ.com

Welcome to The LATEST, your one-stop shop for todays top local news. We are a team of dedicated journalists who spend countless hours investigating and producing stories about the issues that affect your lives. We cant do this without you! Our nonprofit newsroom powers both LAist and 89.3 KPCC, the No. 1 NPR station in Southern California. Were only here because readers like you have stepped up to become members.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

Updated February 3, 2020 12:21 PM

Published February 3, 2020 12:10 PM

There's no shortage of criticisms about the standardized tests most colleges use to decide whether to admit students. Opponents say the SAT and ACT tests are a better measure of whether you can afford test preparation than a gauge of academic aptitude.

The University of California system has been debating whether to keep the tests, and last year it asked faculty leaders to study the issue. Now the results of the yearlong review are in:

Don't ditch the tests, faculty leaders say.

Well, that's the very short answer. The Academic Senate's executive committee released more than 200 pages of reasons why they think the tests are worthwhile. The main takeaway: after factoring in demographics and other socioeconomic information, less-advantaged students are actually admitted at a higher rate than other students with similar test scores.

The committee's preliminary recommendations will continue to be debated over the next few months. The full Academic Senate is expected to issue a final set of policy recommendations at its meeting in April.

You can read the full report here:

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Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

Weather Alert

Updated February 3, 2020 11:46 AM

Published February 3, 2020 10:53 AM

Gusty winds are sweeping across Southern California this morning.

Across the region, winds will be blowing up to 50 mph, with gusts up to 70 mph, before gradually tapering off, according to the National Weather Service. Isolated gusts of up to 90 mph in the hills around the I-5 corridor are also expected.

Drivers beware. Meteorologist David Sweet says these strong winds can make you lose control of your vehicle.

He also advises homeowners to be mindful about the items they're leaving outside.

As a matter of fact, I heard potted plants being blown off balconies last night and crashing, so any potted plants, any loose items should be brought indoors, Sweet says.

And whenever we get high winds like this, you can count on reports of downed trees and problems with the power grid. The Huntington Library and Gardens says its closed today because it lost power.

Mayor Eric Garcetti noted on Twitter that crews have been working to restore electricity in neighborhoods where the wind knocked down power lines.

Slightly calmer Santa Anas are expected tomorrow, and temperatures are expected to remain cool Monday and Tuesday, with a slow warm-up later in the week.

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Brianna Flores and Brian Frank

Highway Shooting

Updated February 3, 2020 11:50 AM

Published February 3, 2020 10:22 AM

A woman is dead and five others injured after someone opened fire on a Greyhound bus bound for San Francisco.

The California Highway Patrol says a man boarded the 6848-1 and then started firing shots just before 1:30 Monday morning, while the bus was traveling on Interstate 5. The bus then pulled over near Lebec, and the alleged shooter got off.

The woman who died is believed to be from Colombia. Two of those injured are in serious condition.

A suspect is in custody. Its still unclear whether this was a random or targeted shooting.

"At this time there's no evidence to indicate that there was terrorism involved, or anything like that. We are still trying to establish a motive," CHP Sgt. Brian Pennings said at a late morning press conference.

A black handgun with additional magazines were left behind and later recovered by authorities, Pennings said.

Passengers are being questioned. Police say cell phones are being provided to passengers so that they can contact their loved ones.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone and every family member impacted by the incident today," Greyhound said in a statement.

This is a developing story.

The California Highway Patrol says a man got onto bus 6848-1 and started firing shots just before 1:30 Monday morning.

Brianna Flores

Warehouse Destroyed

Updated February 3, 2020 12:40 PM

Published February 3, 2020 10:10 AM

A four-alarm fire early Sunday wiped out the inventory and Irvine headquarters of Working Wardrobes, a nonprofit dedicated to providing professional attire and job training for people who've fallen on hard times and are trying to get back into the workforce.

The fire broke out at 5:50 a.m. Sunday. Video posted on Twitter by the Orange County Fire Authority showed massive flames billowing into the sky.

OCFA spokesman Tony Bommarito said firefighters initially pulled back because of the intense heat and smoke. "It was too dangerous," he said.

Working Wardrobes posted a press release on its website:

"Everything has been destroyed, including:

Donation Center: Large warehouse filled with racks, bins, and boxes filled with thousands of donations. Including jackets, pants, shirts, blouses, ties, shoes, jewelry and additional accessories, as well as housewares, office and cleaning supplies.

Career Center: Computer labs where clients worked to research and apply for jobs online, training rooms and IT computer lab. Plus, the VetNet team and program for veterans, SCSEP program for seniors, all client services for women, men, young adults, and all wardrobing services.

"We are absolutely devastated by this catastrophic loss, the heart of our operations is gone and so is 30 years of history," Working Wardrobes founder and CEO Jerri Rosen said in a statement. "We are grateful and relieved to report that no one was hurt or in the building at the time of the fire. Now our job is to get back on our feet so we can serve our clients very quickly and we aim to do just that with the help of our remarkable community."

The organization will set up temporary headquarters at a Goodwill facility in Santa Ana.

Bommarito says the preliminary estimate is $10 million in damage to the building and a $2 million loss of contents in the building, but that last figure may go up when Working Wardrobes does a full inventory.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"At this point were not ruling out anything," he said. "This is a super challenging fire investigation because of the amount of damage. You have the entire roof laying on everything that burned below. This is very challenging to be able to get in there and start working on that."

Crews will be on site in the next several days. Bommarito said his agency will look at whether it was intentionally set.

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

Broken Buildings

Updated February 3, 2020 6:05 AM

Published February 3, 2020 6:05 AM

You know that sinking feeling you get in your stomach when a pipe breaks and you get the plumbers bill? Well imagine taking a look at an invoice for close to $4 billion.

Thats what it would cost if you total up everything on all 23 campuses of the California State University system that needs to be fixed and maintained the heating and air-conditioning systems, the sidewalks, the locker-room lockers, the elevators, and on and on.

Some of that work is contracted out, but a lot of the daily maintenance falls to a relatively handful of trades workers. Christopher Rooney, a metal worker at Cal State Northridge, let LAist tag along while he made his rounds. When hes not crawling around in air-conditioning ducts, hes got plenty more to do. Mostly by himself the only other metal worker on the campus recently retired. He told us:

A lot of times there will be what they call trip hazards, cement will move and stuff or crack on walkways, and we have to constantly fix that. Handrails get broken, we fix those because once metal breaks it tends to be sharp and people can get hurt on that.

Everything Rooney and all of his fellow trade workers on all of the Cal State campuses is in this 282-page report. Be warned it isnt light reading.

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This Is What A $4 Billion Maintenance Backlog Feels Like To A Cal State Worker (LAist)

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez

VOTER GAME PLAN

Updated February 3, 2020 6:00 AM

Published February 3, 2020 6:00 AM

Primary election season 2020 is officially underway vote-by-mail ballots start going out today (although you still have till Feb. 25 to request yours). Our Voter Game Plan project has been fielding questions about all the big changes happening in the way we vote.

Here's one question we've been hearing: "I want to vote in the presidential primary. Do I have to change my party registration to vote for the candidate I want?"

You might have heard about a change this year that lets you vote for a candidate in the presidential primary even if you are not registered with that candidate's party and that's partially true.

If you are a registered voter with any party be it Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, etc. you'll automatically get a ballot with your party's presidential candidates. Simple enough.

If youre registered as No Party Preference, you are still allowed to vote for a presidential candidate in the Democratic, Libertarian, or American Independent parties. But in order to do so, you have to request what's called a "crossover ballot." If you plan to vote in person, you can simply request one when you get to the voting center.

But if you're voting by mail, then youll have to request that crossover ballot before February 25. You can do that by contacting your county elections office.

For L.A. County residents: The Los Angeles County Registrar's office in Norwalk is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at (800) 815-2666. You'll get a phone menu to navigate, so here's a shortcut: press 2 and then 3 to reach someone who can help you request a crossover ballot. You can also email voterinfo@rrcc.lacounty.gov for more help.

Important reminder! This does not apply to the Republican, Green or Peace and Freedom parties. Youll have to register with those parties if you want to vote for their candidates.

Have more questions about the voting process? Our Voter Game Plan has been answering frequently asked ones here. If you want to ask us anything else, submit your question below.

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Brianna Lee

COMING UP

Updated February 3, 2020 10:23 AM

Published February 3, 2020 5:00 AM

In case you weren't watching, the Kansas City Chiefs staged a final-quarter comeback to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years, beating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. There was also that superstar halftime show, with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez sharing a stage, and another tribute to late Lakers great Kobe Bryant.

But on to Monday. Temperatures will be in the 60s today, and you can expect a very chilly night -- the mercury could dip into the high 30s. If you're planning to brave the waves, note that a high surf advisory is in effect through tomorrow.

The March 3 primary is on the horizon. We now know where all of the county's new vote centers will be, and vote-by-mail ballots go out today.

What Were Covering:

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The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft.

Brian Frank

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It's Windy Today! Hold On To Your Hats (And Patio Furniture) - LAist

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Dare we call it the Trump Revolution? We call the presidency of Ronald Reagan the Reagan Revolution. Well, consider what Donald Trump has achieved in but three years.

He has revived the economy with ample growth, historic low levels of unemployment and efficiencies in the economy thanks to the removal of unnecessary stultifying regulations. He promises more if re-elected. He has assured international peace and stability. Becoming a prominent terrorist is no longer a smart career choice. Longevity can be problematic. And the president has assured a judicial system stocked with men and women who really believe in the rule of law. Furthermore, he has brought us two U.S. Supreme Court Justices who will abide by the U.S. Constitution. If he has four more years in the White House, he will bring us more.

Yet apparently our countrys intelligence community was out to put the clamps on Mr. Trump even before he was elected. Slowly, we are finding out that, for instance, FISA warrants included warrants that were illegal. We are finding out that these agencies were eavesdropping on Mr. Trump and his aides. Conservatives always defended the CIA and FBI against career civil libertarians. Now, we are finding out that these agencies were used against the president and his people. What did the Trumpians do to antagonize the intelligence community?

Do the heads of these agencies really think that Donald Trump colluded with Vladimir Putin? I have not seen the evidence. A two-year investigation conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller could not find the evidence either. So let us come up with the evidence that will convince Americans that, as John Brennan, formerly of the CIA, has said, Mr. Trumps behavior was treasonous. Treasonous? The evidence?

Possibly the civil libertarians have been right about the threat the intelligence agencies pose to ordinary Americans civil liberties, but now those civil libertarians have fallen strangely silent. Why are they not aroused by the treatment of Gen. Michael Flynn, Carter Page and George Papadopoulos? Does one have to be a communist to gain their support? The silence of the civil libertarians is but one of the many oddities of this latest chapter in American history.

Now what Mr. Trump has dubbed the swamp is erupting with more poison. Just the other day we learned that the Committee on Codes of Conduct of the U.S. Judicial Conference is planning to bar judges from belonging to the Federalist Society. The Federalist Society is a scholarly group of law students, law professors and lawyers whose interest in the law leads them to hold seminars, lectures and other such events that revolve around the law. It has chapters at law schools all over the country. Its members are mainly conservative and libertarian, but it is open to all comers and there are even a few adventurous liberals.

Oh yes, and one thing more. Until recently the Federalist Society was headed by Leonard Leo, a leading conservative thinker and activist. Mr. Leo has rightfully taken a leave of absence from the Federalist Society perhaps because he is a leading figure on the team of advisers who have helped the president pick his nominees to the courts. That the president has had so many of his nominees accepted is proof of how high the Federalist Societys standards are. The Committee on Codes of Conduct of the U.S. Judicial Conference objects supposedly that the Federalist Society is too political. What about the Womens Christian Temperance Union? If the WCTU suggested nominees to the Trump administration, would the Committee on Codes of Conduct object that the abstemious ladies are too political? Is there not a guarantee of freedom of association in the First Amendment? Do not the liberals have an organization equivalent to the Federalist Society?

As a matter of fact, they do. It is called the American Constitution Society. Moreover, it is a highly political organization, as might be expected from liberals. What organization of liberals is not highly political? It takes political positions, counsels on judicial appointments and files amicus briefs. The Federalist Society follows none of these practices.

Now the clever minds of the Committee on Codes of Conduct of the U.S. Judicial Conference has published a bull pronouncing that judges be barred from both organizations. I have a better idea. Let the First Amendments right to free association be affirmed, and let judges be members of either society or of both societies. Better yet, encourage judges to join the Womens Christian Temperance Union. It is an admirable organization that deserves a comeback, especially in light of the spreading legalization of marijuana.

Now let us get on with the Trump Revolution.

R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. is founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. He is the author most recently of The Death of Liberalism, published by Thomas Nelson Inc.

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Judicial swamp looking to stymie the 'Trump Revolution' - Washington Times

While a pregnant woman should be legally required to help the fetus survive outside of her body whenever that is possible, she should retain the legal right to evict the fetus at any time during her pregnancy.

That was the resolution of a public debate hosted by the Soho Forum in New York City on December 8, 2019. It featured Walter Block arguing for the resolution and Kerry Baldwin arguing against it. Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein moderated.

It was an Oxford-style debate. That means the audience votes on the resolution at the beginning and end of the event, and the side that gains the most groundmostly by picking up votes from the "undecided" categoryis victorious. Block prevailed by convincing 13.85 percent of audience members to change their minds. Baldwin was not far behind, picking up 12.31 percent of the audience.

Block is the Harold E. Wirth Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair and Professor of Economics at Loyola University New Orleans, and a prolific author on Austrian economics and libertarian theory. He's the author of Defending the Undefendable I and II, among many other books.

Kerry Baldwin is an independent researcher and writer with a B.A. in Philosophy from Arizona State University. Her work can be found at MereLiberty.com and at the Libertarian Christian Institute.

The Soho Forum, which is sponsored by the Reason Foundation, is a monthly debate series at the SubCulture Theater in Manhattan's East Village.

Produced by John Osterhoudt.Photo credit: Brett Raney.

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What's the Correct Libertarian Position on Abortion? A Soho Forum Debate - Reason