Group behind effort to defeat her has spent over $233,000
By Allen D. Payton
At least two campaign mailers against candidate for State Assembly District 15 Anamarie Avila Farias were sent to voters this month by a group named “Contra Costa Neighbors opposed to Farias for Assembly 2024”, and the most recent mailer clearly stretches the truth in one of its claims. They’re part of an effort that has spent over $233,000 to defeat her, so far.
The mailer readers “Typical Politician Anamarie Avila Farias’ Double-Dipping Record Hurt Progress on Homelessness” and among other accusations claims she, “Collected salaries and benefits from multiple governmental agencies at the same time.”
The mailer offers a link to “Check The Facts” on the Transparent California website, which lists public employees’ compensation records provided to them by government agencies. – http://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/search/?q=anamarie+farias&y=.
First, while I prefer employees for one government agency to not serve as elected officials for another, it’s not uncommon for local elected officials to also work for other government agencies. That was the case for Avila Farias 10 and 11 years ago. Since then, she has worked for a non-governmental agency and non-profit organization, while serving as both an elected and appointed official.
Some of that information is listed on Avila-Farias’ campaign website.
Government Employment
When reviewing the information about the Assembly candidate on the Transparent California website, it shows she previously worked in government positions as a Senior Management Analyst for the City of Oakland in 2013, then a Program Analyst for the City of Concord in 2013 and 2014, for which she was paid a salary and benefits. Those positions aren’t mentioned on her campaign website but are the only government positions she has held.
Non-Government, Elected & Appointed Positions
Avila Farias currently works as the executive director for the Juvenile Hall Auxiliary of Contra Costa County, a non-profit organization, for which she first served on the board of directors. Avila Farias said she stepped down from the board after being hired to run the organization in 2019.
As a member of the Martinez City Council from 2012-16, Avila Farias received pay and benefits totaling $16,552.01 to $18,791.48 per year. She is now serving in her first term as an elected trustee on the Contra Costa County Board of Education, having been elected in 2020, for which she receives about $550 in stipend and $2,500 in benefits per month.
Avila Farias has also served on the Board of Directors of the California Housing Finance Agency since she was appointed in 2015, for which she said she receives a small stipend of $100 per meeting. That was confirmed by agency staff and is also reflected on the Transparent California website. Avila Farias also serves on the Board of Directors of the Carquinez Regional Environmental Education Center, but that is not a paid position.
According to her profile on the Finance Authority’s website, “She held multiple positions at the Housing Authority of Contra Costa County from 1989 to 2018, including Housing Policy and Program Analyst and Central Waiting List Housing Manager.” However, according to the Housing Authority website, it is not a government agency even though its seven-member board includes all five county supervisors.
Following is the list of Avila Farias’ government position-related compensation from the Transparent California website to which the mailer provides the link, in order of years:
Year Position Pay Benefits Total______
2012 Martinez Council Member $195.97 $294.78 $490.75
2013 Martinez Council Member $7,020.00 $9,532.01 $16,552.01
2013 Senior Management Analyst, City of Oakland $20,381.66 $8,850.29 $29,231.95
2013 Program Manager, City of Concord $60,587.94 $21,271.40 $81,859.34
2014 Program Manager, City of Concord $31,087.64 $7,038.95 $38,126.59
2014 Member, Martinez Council $7,020.00 $11,348.02 $18,368.02
2015 Member, Martinez Council $7,020.00 $11,771.48 $18,791.48
2016 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $200.00 $ -0- $200.00
2016 Member, Martinez Council $6,834.00 $11,523.00 $18,357.00
2016 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $700.00 $ -0- $700.00
2017 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $700.00 $ -0- $700.00
2018 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $700.00 $ -0- $700.00
2019 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $500.00 $ -0- $500.00
2020 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $700.00 $ -0- $700.00
2020 Member, Contra Costa Board of Education $541.97 $ -0- $541.97
2021 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $800.00 $ -0- $800.00
2021 Member, Contra Costa Board of Education $6,720.44 $30,590.42 $37,310.86
2022 Member, CA Housing Finance Agency Board $700.00 $ -0- $700.00
2022 Member, Contra Costa Board of Education $6,857.99 $29,685.26 $36,542.55
Mostly False
So, there were only two years, 2013 and 2014 that Avila Farias received pay and benefits both as a government employee and as an elected official, supporting the mailer’s claim of her “double dipping”. But even that is a stretch as she wasn’t paid a salary for both positions, merely a stipend for her elected position and benefits for both and it was for only two agencies at a time. Thus, the mailer’s claim that Avila Farias “Collected salaries and benefits from multiple governmental agencies at the same time” is mostly false.
Group Behind the Mailers
According to the disclosure requirement on the mailers, the group behind them “a coalition of charter public school advocates, insurance agents, technology, energy, and health care providers” and the “Ad Committee’s Top Funder” is listed as a political action committee (PAC) named “Keeping Californians Working.” A search of the California Secretary of State’s Cal-Access campaign finance website shows the committee’s FPPC ID number is 1365806 and as of the Feb. 17, 2024 report has raised $521,500 and spent $658,516.89 this year, with ending cash of $759,206.46. The PAC raised $1.125 million in 2023.
According to the PAC’s reports the coalition has spent over $233,000 to defeat Avila Farias. The PAC’s Form 497 Late Contribution Report number 321801-05 dated Feb. 26, 2024, shows they contributed $30,000 to the Contra Costa Neighbors opposed to Avila Farias coalition. According to the PAC’s Form 497 Late Contribution Report number 321801-04 dated Feb. 22, 2024, the committee also contributed $52,785 to defeat her, and report number 21801-03 dated Feb. 20, 2024, shows they contributed $150,000 to the effort against Avila Farias. Another Form 497 report number 321801-06 was filed today, Wednesday, Feb. 28 for an additional $1,000 contribution to the coalition’s efforts.
The PAC’s major contributors include $125,000 from the Personal Insurance Federation of CA Agents & Employees PAC; $250,000 from the Pharmaceutical Research And Manufacturers Of America IEC (Independent Expenditure Committee); $250,000 from Uber Innovation Political Action Committee; $250,000 from Powering California’s Future, Sponsored by Edison International, the Los Angeles-area energy company; $250,000 from DaVita, Inc., a kidney dialysis company; and most recently, $10,000 from Leadership for California: East Bay Committee, whose ID number was pending as of the date of the Form 49 report on Feb. 5, 2024. The PAC is also spending money to support other candidates in other parts of the state.
The election is next Tuesday, March 5. Avila Farias faces fellow Democrats former Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson and Republican Realtor Sonia Ledo in the race to replace Assemblyman Tim Grayson who is running for State Senate. The top two candidates will face off in the November general election.
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Supervisors suspend all-electric requirements following U.S. Court of Appeals ruling
(Martinez, CA) – The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Tuesday suspended enforcement of its requirement that most new buildings be constructed as all-electric buildings. The County’s all-electric building requirement, as part of the County’s building code, had prohibited the installation of natural gas infrastructure in most new buildings and required developers to use electricity as the sole source of energy in the building. With Tuesday’s action, the County’s all-electric building requirement will not be enforced.
Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit invalidated a City of Berkeley ordinance that prohibited natural gas infrastructure in new buildings. The court held that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act precludes cities and counties from adopting building codes that prohibit the installation of gas plumbing in buildings.
Contra Costa County’s all-electric building requirement, like the invalidated City of Berkeley ordinance, prohibits the installation of gas plumbing in new buildings. The County is therefore suspending this requirement in response to the Ninth Circuit’s decision.
At the same time, the Board of Supervisors remains committed to the goals that prompted it to adopt the all-electric requirement: improving public health and fighting what they believe contributes to climate change. The Board referred the topic of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings to its Sustainability Committee and directed staff to report on alternatives for advancing this objective at the Committee’s next meeting.
“Contra Costa County remains committed to reducing the use of fossil fuels in buildings and continues to support the construction of new buildings using all-electric technologies. We are eager to identify new and innovative ways to continue to pursue our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.” said Board Chair Federal D. Glover, District 5 Supervisor.
The County encourages residents and businesses to continue to install all-electric building systems and appliances. There are many benefits of all-electric construction, some of which include:
- Cleaner air and better health outcomes from eliminating the emissions associated with burning fossil fuels, particularly indoors.
- Not having to pay to install gas pipes in new buildings.
- Taking advantage of financial incentives and rebates for all-electric appliances.
- Resilience against power outages, particularly when electric technologies are paired with battery storage.
- Hedging against high electricity costs by being able to schedule electric appliances to operate at times of day when electricity costs are lowest.
- Preparing for the potential discontinuation of gas appliances in the future that could occur from possible regulatory actions by regional, state, or federal agencies.
There are many good resources on the benefits of all-electric buildings, including:
The County’s sustainability web site has information on state and federal incentives, rebates, and other ways to fund all-electric upgrades.
The Bay Area Regional Energy Network has information on training opportunities, rebates and incentives, and contractors.
MCE, the community choice energy provider for most of Contra Costa County, offers rebates and incentives.
The Switch Is On, sponsored by the Building Decarbonization Coalition, is a collaborative campaign to support all-electric home conversion by providing tools, support, and resources to Californians.
Rewiring America provides information about the benefits of all-electric technologies, and helps generate a personalized plan for individuals, including costs and savings.
PG&E also has resources on all-electric buildings, including rebates, incentives, rate plans, and design guides.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read More“Time for a change” – Joe Rubay
By Allen D. Payton
In announcing his campaign, Republican State Assembly candidate Joseph Rubay says he is honored to once again to be the sole challenger to unseat the incumbent Democrat Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan in the March 2024 primary election.
State Assembly District 16 includes Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, half of Dublin (east of Dougherty Valley Road) and about 85% of Pleasanton, (east of the 680 freeway).
Rubay is a businessman and a longtime community leader. He served under two California Governors, Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, on the Contra Costa Fair Board. Rubay also served for two years as the National Director for the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. Locally, he served nine years on the board of directors of the Alamo Improvement Association, to aid the town and Board of Supervisors in planning matters. Rubay currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Alamo Police Service Advisory Committee, appointed by Contra Costa County District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen.
“The reason I am running is simple. I’m concerned about where our state is headed for our children and grandchildren,” Rubay shared. “We have a culturally diverse district that deserves a representative who will bring to this office the same things all parents, families, individuals and businesses want from their representative — common sense leadership. That’s exactly what I’ll bring to our district and state if elected.”
He has been endorsed by the Walnut Creek Police Officers Association (WCPOA) and Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs Association
“We need leadership in Sacramento that realizes that most people want to increase funding to law enforcement not take away funding,” the candidate stated. “I have two beautiful daughters. We must protect our families and fight to ensure that they have the best education as possible.”
Rubay currently serves on the executive board of his middle schooler’s PTA.
“I found our local schools are not the problem, they are doing the best they can with what they have,” he shared. “The problem is what is coming down from the State level. As your State Assembly member, I want to fight for our most precious assets our children.”
The candidate commented on the state’s $73 billion dollar deficit:
“Our current state legislators have turned a $100 billion surplus into a $73 billion deficit in just two years,” Rubay stated. “It is time for a change. As a longtime businessman and a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA) I plan to restore fiscal responsibility and common sense to Sacramento.”
“Democrats and Republicans alike agree, no one likes wasteful spending and poor financial management,” he continued. “California’s overall state economy is underperforming. From the Wall Street Journal’s opinion page, ‘California’s unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in December [2023]’ from 4.1% a year earlier. The U.S. jobless rate is 3.7%, and Florida’s is 3%.’
“It is time for a change. Our current legislators are not getting the job done,”Rubay added.
Read more about Rubay and his platform at www.rubay4assembly.com which contains a number of common sense solutions to issues facing Assembly District 16 and California families.
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State could retain unpopular written literacy test
By Dana Lambert, EdSource.org – Republished with permission
Newly proposed legislation sponsored by the California Teachers Association would eliminate all performance assessments teachers are required to pass, including one for literacy that it supported three years ago. The result could leave in place an unpopular written test that the literacy performance assessment was designed to replace.
Senate Bill 1263, authored by state Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, would do away with the California Teaching Performance Assessment, known as the CalTPA, through which teachers demonstrate their competence via video clips of instruction and written reflections on their practice.
Eliminating the assessment will increase the number of effective teachers in classrooms, as the state continues to contend with a teacher shortage, said Newman, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
“One key to improving the educator pipeline is removing barriers that may be dissuading otherwise talented and qualified prospective people from pursuing a career as an educator,” Newman said in a statement to EdSource.
The bill also would do away with a literacy performance assessment of teachers and oversight of literacy instruction in teacher preparation programs mandated by Senate Bill 488, authored by Sen. Susan Rubio, D-West Covina, in 2021.
The literacy performance assessment is scheduled to be piloted in the next few months. It is meant to replace the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) set to be scrapped in 2025.
New law could leave RICA in place
The proposed legislation appears to leave in place a requirement that candidates for a preliminary multiple-subject or education specialist credential pass a reading instruction competence assessment, said David DeGuire, a director at the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
“At this time, it is unclear what that assessment would look like, but it could be that the state continues to use the current version of the RICA,” he said.
Newman will present the legislation to the Senate Education Committee in the next few months. Discussions about whether the RICA remains in use are likely to take place during the legislative process.
Rubio recently became aware of the new legislation and had not yet discussed it with Newman.
“For three years, I worked arduously and collaboratively with a broad range of education leaders, including parent groups, teacher associations and other stakeholders to modernize a key component of our educational system that in my 17 years as a classroom teacher and school administrator I saw as counterproductive to our students’ learning,” Rubio said of Senate Bill 488.
Teachers union changes course
The California Teachers Association, which originally supported Senate Bill 488, now wants all performance assessments, including the literacy performance assessment, eliminated.
“We are all scratching our heads,” said Yolie Flores, of Families in Schools, a Los Angeles-based education advocacy organization. “We were really blindsided by this (legislation), given the momentum around strengthening our teacher prep programs.”
The results of a survey of almost 1,300 CTA members last year convinced the state teachers union to push for the elimination of the CalTPA, said Leslie Littman, vice president of the union. Teachers who took the survey said the test caused stress, took away time that could have been used to collaborate with mentors and for teaching, and did not prepare them to meet the needs of students, she said.
“I think what we were probably not cognizant of at that time, and it really has become very clear of late, is just how much of a burden these assessments have placed on these teacher candidates,” Littman said.
Teacher candidates would be better served if they were observed over longer periods of time, during student teaching, apprenticeships, residencies and mentorship programs, to determine if they were ready to teach, Littman said. This would also allow a mentor to counsel and support the candidate to ensure they have the required skills.
California joins science of reading movement
California has joined a national effort to change how reading is being taught in schools. States nationwide are rethinking balanced literacy, which has its roots in whole language instruction or teaching children to recognize words by sight, and replacing it with a method that teaches them to decode words by sounding them out, a process known as phonics.
Smarter Balanced test scores, released last fall, show that only 46.6% of the state’s students who were tested met academic standards in English.
Last week Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, introduced Assembly Bill 2222, which would mandate that schools use evidence-based reading instruction. California, a “local control” state, currently only encourages school districts to incorporate fundamental reading skills, including phonics, into instruction.
“It (Newman’s SB 1263) goes against not only the movement, but everything we know from best practices, evidence, research, science, of how we need to equip new teachers and existing teachers, frankly, to teach literacy,” Flores said. “And that we would wipe it away at this very moment where we’re finally getting some traction is just very concerning.”
Lori DePole, co-director of DeCoding Dyslexia California, said the proposed legislation would cut any progress the state has made “off at the knees.”
Among her concerns is the elimination of the requirement, also authorized by Senate Bill 488, that the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing certify that teacher preparation programs are teaching literacy aligned to state standards and a provision that requires the commission to report to the state Legislature annually on how stakeholders are meeting the requirements of the law.
“It would be going away,” DePole said. “Everyone agreed with SB 488, all the supporters agreed, this was the direction California needed to go to strengthen teacher prep with respect to literacy. And before it can even be fully implemented, we’re going to do a 180 with this legislation. It makes no sense.”
Flores said teachers want to be equipped to teach reading using evidence-based techniques, but many don’t know how.
“We know that reading is the gateway, and if kids can’t read, it’s practically game over, right?” said Flores. “And we are saying with this bill that it doesn’t matter, that we don’t really need to teach and show that teachers know how to teach reading.”
Teacher tests replaced by coursework, degrees
California has been moving away from standardized testing for teacher candidates for several years as the teacher shortage worsened. In July 2021, legislation gave teacher candidates the option to take approved coursework instead of the California Basic Education Skills Test, or CBEST, or the California Subject Examinations for Teachers, or CSET. In January’s tentative budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed eliminating the CBEST and allowing the completion of a bachelor’s degree to satisfy the state’s basic skills requirement.
Littman disagrees with the idea that there will be no accountability for teachers if the legislation passes. “There’s always been, and will continue to be, an evaluation component for all of our teachers in this state,” she said. “It just depends on what your district does and how they implement that. There’s always been a system of accountability for folks.”
Read MoreBy Sgt. Matthew Koch #3018, Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau
On Saturday, February 24, 2024, at approximately 5:12 am, Antioch Police patrol officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of Observation Way for a male who had been shot seated inside of a vehicle. Officers arrived on scene and located a 16-year-old male from Pittsburg with at least one gunshot wound. Officers on scene provided life-saving measures until relieved by ConFire and paramedics. The male victim was transported to an area hospital where he ultimately succumbed his injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Officers discovered the shooting took place in the 2000 block of Tupleo Way. Officers canvassed the area and located the scene. The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation. This is an active investigation, and no further information will be provided.
No other information is being released at this time including the names of the victim or suspect.
Additional inquiries or information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Duffy at (925) 779-6884 or by emailing aduffy@antiochca.gov. Anonymous tips or information about this – or any other incident – can be sent via text to 274637 (CRIMES) with the keyword ANTIOCH.
Read MoreGang member faces life sentences without parole for triple homicide
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
Martinez, CA – Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton announced Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, the conviction of Enrique Anacleto Ramirez-Calmo on three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of attempted murder, along with gang and other special circumstances enhancements.
On June 20, 2021, 29-year-old Ramirez-Calmo of Oakland (born 7/13/94) and a fellow gang member opened fire on a group of partygoers in Richmond. The attack, fueled by mistaken identity and gang rivalry, resulted in the death of three people and bullet wounds to four others.
The jury delivered their verdict on February 21st, concluding a four-month trial that stemmed from the horrific shooting at a residential party on Father’s Day. “This was a senseless massacre that shattered the lives of innocent families,” said District Attorney Diana Becton.
In early 2022, an investigative breakthrough led to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filing the previously unsolved murder against Ramirez-Calmo. The prosecution presented a compelling case, including a video filmed by one of the victims that captured the moment of the shooting. Through meticulous investigation and collaboration with Richmond Police Department and other agencies, the trial included evidence from 2019 that Ramirez-Calmo was responsible for in another county.
“This was a complex case with numerous challenges,” said Deputy District Attorney Chad Mahalich, who prosecuted the case. “I am incredibly grateful for the dedication and expertise of everyone involved, including law enforcement, victim advocates, and the entire DA’s Office team. Together, we ensured that the defendant was held accountable for his actions.”
According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the five-foot, six-inch, 175-lb. Hispanic man is being held on no bail in the West County Detention Facility
Ramirez-Calmo will be sentenced on March 11th at 10:00 a.m. in Superior Court in Martinez and faces life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Case No. 02-336043-5 | The People of the State of California v. Ramirez-Calmo, Enrique
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreBy Diane Lambert, EdSource.org
California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing approved long-awaited revised Standards for the Teaching Profession on Thursday that emphasize culturally responsive teaching, social-emotional learning and family engagement.
The standards, which guide teachers’ professional development and evaluation statewide, broadly describe the knowledge, skills and abilities expected of effective experienced teachers. State law requires that they are updated regularly.
During the meeting (Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024), the overwhelming sentiment — from commissioners members, speakers from the public, and the letters received — supported the new standards; however, some asked the commission to push back the 2025-26 rollout of the new standards to allow university teacher preparation programs, school districts and commission staff more time to implement changes.
“The revised CSTP aims to rehumanize our system by focusing on the whole student, their identities and what’s meaningful in this world to them, not us,” said Leigh Dela Victoria, an instructional coach in the Fontana Unified School District in San Bernardino County.
“They have the potential to transform all of our classrooms into culturally and linguistically responsive and sustaining communities,” she said. “As a coach, I can tell you firsthand the impact this type of teaching has on students when their identities, assets and agency are valued.”
She told commission members that the current standards, approved in 2009, are out of touch with what needs to be taught in classrooms.
The six overarching domains of teaching in the new document are similar to the previous standards, and are parallel to other state standards, according to the commission. The elements within the domains include definitions and examples. The six domains are also used in the Teaching Performance Expectations, which outline what beginning teachers should know.
“The revised CSTP features several key shifts from the 2009 version, chief among them a more holistic approach to teaching and learning,” said Sarah Lillis, executive director for Teach Plus California, in a letter. “For example, the move from goal setting to designing learning experiences shifts the focus from results to students’ learning. Another notable shift is recognizing that all teachers, regardless of subject-specific credential areas, are teachers of literacy skills.”
Family engagement is a key element of new standards
The new standards also focus on family and community engagement, requiring teachers to find effective strategies for communicating and creating relationships with families.
“These standards provide an invaluable road map that will undoubtedly strengthen how teachers, schools and communities partner with families,” said Bryan Becker, of the Parent Organization Network.
Also new to the standards are two sections, one asking teachers to examine their personal attitudes and biases, and how these impact student learning, and the other asking them to reflect on their personal code of ethics.
After speakers expressed concern about the few references to English learners and students with disabilities in the document, Chair Marquita Grenot-Scheyer made a motion to approve the standards with amendments that would “shine a brighter spotlight” on those students.
She also asked that the amendment include direction to ensure teachers attend individualized education plan meetings. School staff and parents attend these meetings to review the education plan of students with special needs.
Revision put on hold for two years
According to the commission, the revision was a long time in coming. Originally adopted in the 1990s, the standards were most recently updated in 2009. An expert group of educators, administrators, researchers and state education staff came together in 2020 to update the standards. The group met online five times between June 2020 and May 2021, but work was paused a few months later “as Covid and other critical world events demanded pause and reflection.”
Over the past two years, the commission has been focused on other state initiatives that would impact the new standards, including the new PK-3 Early Childhood Specialist Instruction Credential and the implementation of revised literacy standards and literacy-related teaching performance expectations mandated by legislation. Members of the expert group returned in 2023 to review and finalize the document.
Board denies pleas for delay
The commission voted for the newly revised standards to go into effect in the 2025-26 school year, despite numerous requests by speakers to extend the rollout to give teacher preparation and induction programs and the commission staff more time to prepare for them.
Grenot-Scheyer also directed commission staff to develop an implementation plan that will support school districts and teacher preparation programs during the transition.
Audry Wiens, induction coordinator for Fontana Unified, was among those who asked the commission to delay the implementation of the standards for a year. She said programs would need to come to a common understanding of the shifts that need to take place, revise relevant documents, train mentors in induction programs and update accreditation websites.
Some wanted the standards implemented as soon as possible.
“I am not an induction program provider, but it really causes me pause to extend any sort of timelines, because we have got things to do here,” said Commissioner Megan Gross. “… I want us to capitalize on this sense of urgency that we have to do better for our kids.”
GOING DEEPER
Domain 1: Engaging and supporting all students in learning – Teachers apply knowledge about each student to activate an approach to learning that strengthens and reinforces each student’s participation, engagement, connection and sense of belonging.
Domain 2: Creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning – Teachers create and uphold a safe, caring and intellectually stimulating learning environment that affirms student agency, voice, identity and development, and promotes equity and inclusivity.
Domain 3: Understanding and organizing subject matter for student learning – Teachers integrate content, processes, materials and resources into a coherent, culturally relevant and equitable curriculum that engages and challenges learners to develop the academic and social–emotional knowledge and skills required to become competent and resourceful learners.
Domain 4: Planning instruction and designing learning experiences for all students – Teachers set a purposeful direction for instruction and learning activities, intentionally planning and enacting challenging and relevant learning experiences that foster each student’s academic and social–emotional development.
Domain 5: Assessing students for learning – Teachers employ equitable assessment practices to help identify students’ interests and abilities, to reveal what students know and can do and to determine what they need to learn. Teachers use that information to advance and monitor student progress as well as to guide teachers’ and students’ actions to improve learning experiences and outcomes.
Domain 6: Developing as a professional educator – Teachers develop as effective and caring professional educators by engaging in relevant and high-quality professional learning experiences that increase their teaching capacity, leadership development and personal well-being. Doing so enables teachers to support each student to learn and thrive.
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San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board and East Bay Times political editor join Planned Parenthood of Northern CA, CA Labor Federation, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, State Building and Construction Trades Council of CA and CA Federation of Teachers in endorsing Assemblyman’s campaign
CONCORD, CA – Assemblymember Tim Grayson announced new key endorsements from the San Francisco Chronicle and the East Bay Times in support of his campaign for State Senate District 9. The local newspaper Editorial Boards join a growing list of endorsers including Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund, California Labor Federation, State Treasurer, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and California Federation of Teachers.
The San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board cited Assemblymember Grayson’s experience noting, “Grayson, by contrast, has nearly a decade of state legislative experience under his belt. In his interview with us, he ticked off a few key accomplishments, including authoring laws to make it easier to build housing near BART stations, accelerate green-energy development in Contra Costa County, prioritize in-state students for admission to the University of California and crack down on predatory lending by capping interest rates for consumer loans.” Read the complete endorsement here.
Dan Borenstein, Political Editor of the East Bay Times also lauded Grayson’s legislative record and experience in their endorsement stating, “Experience and knowledge count. That’s why suburban East Bay voters should elect Assemblymember Tim Grayson to fill the state Senate seat that Steve Glazer is vacating because of term limits. The complete endorsement is accessible here.
Grayson currently represents more than half a million Contra Costa County residents in the California State Assembly. A small business owner and the former Mayor of Concord, Tim is focused on fighting for quality jobs and economic security for working families, addressing California’s housing crisis, and taking on predatory lenders and financial fraudsters across our state. Tim was the first in his family to earn a college degree. His father was a Teamster and his mother was a public transit worker. Tim has been a licensed general building contractor for nearly 30 years and operates his own small business. He is the Chair of the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. Tim and his wife Tammy have been married for 35 years and have raised two adult children in Concord, CA.
Complete Endorsement List: A complete endorsement list is available at www.graysonforca.com/endorsements
East Bay Times
San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board
Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund
California Labor Federation
California Professional Firefighters
Equality California
State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
State Controller Malia Cohen
State Treasurer Fiona Ma
California Federation of Teachers
CAL FIRE Local 2881
California Association of Highway Patrolmen
Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council
Building and Construction Trades Council of Alameda County
Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104
Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 300
Housing Action Coalition
The Honorable Bob Hertzberg (former Speaker, Majority Leader and State Senator)
State Senator Bill Dodd
State Senator Melissa Hurtado
Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas
Assemblymember Evan Low
Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva
Assemblymember Blanca Rubio
Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua
Assemblymember Jim Wood
Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes
Assemblymember Matt Haney
Assemblymember Chris Holden
Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin
Assemblymember Laura Friedman
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Women’s Caucus Vice Chair
Assemblymember Mia Bonta
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
Assemblymember Diane Papan
Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco
Contra Costa Supervisor Ken Carlson, District 4
Contra Costa Supervisor Diane Burgis, District 3
Contra Costa Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District 5
Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia, District 1
Contra Costa Supervisor Candace Andersen, District 2
Pleasant Hill Vice Mayor Matt Rin
Pleasant Hill Councilmember Sue Noack
El Cerrito Councilmember Gabe Quinto
Sheet Metal Workers Local 104
For more information about Grayson and his campaign click, here.
The primary election is March 5 and he faces only one opponent in the race. So, both will face off in the November general election.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Using federal land, not cash
By Allen D. Payton, Publisher
During this Black History Month, as I’ve been arguing for several years, I believe it’s time for all Americans to agree the promised reparations to freed slave families following the Civil War in 1865 should finally be fulfilled – but to their descendants.
First, let me point out the fact – especially to my fellow Republicans who might oppose them – that reparations were first, a Republican idea, ordered by Union Army Major General William Tecumseh Sherman, and supported by President Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s first Republican president. As a reminder, the Republican Party was formed to abolish slavery, and Lincoln and the Union Army successfully fought the Civil War to accomplish that goal.
40 Acres & A Mule
You may have heard the phrase “40 acres and a mule”, which was made more popularly known by movie actor and director Spike Lee who labeled his production company “40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks”. But you may not know that the phrase originated with reparations. That’s because Special Field Orders No. 15 were issued by Sherman on January 16, 1865, before the Civil War ended that May, granting “a plot of not more than (40) forty acres of tillable ground” to families, “made free by the acts of war and the proclamation of the President of the United States He also later ordered the army to lend mules to the freed slaves for their farming efforts.
The orders included the confiscation of 400,000 acres of plantation land along “a strip of (Atlantic) coastline stretching from Charleston, South Carolina to the St. John’s River in Florida, including Georgia’s Sea Islands and the mainland 30 miles in from the coast.” The land was to be divided into parcels on which approximately 18,000 formerly enslaved families and other Black people then living in the area would be settled.
The purpose was to provide for the freed slaves both a means to earn a living and support themselves, and the result would have been giving them an asset that could be passed on to future generations.
According to History.com, “The freedmen set out to begin working their new land immediately, with a group of 1,000 settling on Georgia’s Skidaway Island. In subsequent months as many as 40,000 freedmen settled on the redistributed land.”
Order Rescinded
Unfortunately, after Lincoln’s assassination just three months after the order was issued, his running mate on the National Union Party ticket in 1864, Democrat Vice President Andrew Johnson, following his ascension to the presidency, rescinded Sherman’s order. He returned to Confederate owners the 400,000 acres of land. Thus, the freed slaves were denied the land they had been granted and reparations were never offered to them by the federal government, again.
Why Reparations Now?
Some people argue that it’s been over 150 years, so why do Black Americans need reparations, today? My initial response is that they’re long past due. But my main answer is two-fold. One is the fact that a major issue among most Blacks in the U.S., today is a lack of asset ownership, including homes, real estate, investments and businesses. For example, the average Black family has one-tenth the assets of the average white family in the U.S.
Disparity in Household Wealth
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Wealth and Asset Ownership Detailed Tables: 2020, Table 1. Median Value of Assets for Households, from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, Survey Year 2021, the median net worth for all households was $140,800. However, when broken down by ethnicity, the median “Black alone” household had one-tenth the assets of the median “White alone” household, or $18,430 compared to $178,500. The disparity is even greater when compared to the median “White alone, non-Hispanic” household which had assets of $217,500.
My argument for the disparity and second one in favor of why reparations, now is the fact that for nearly 250 years, almost all Blacks in the U.S. couldn’t own property because they were property, nor did they get paid. They also couldn’t get an education. So, the rest of us, whose ancestors were never subjected to the horrors and evil of chattel slavery, in effect had a 250-year head start!
Yes, I’ve heard the arguments about the Irish, which is my ancestry, and how they were mistreated, or others who were indentured servants. But those were not the same as being a slave sold, bought and owned by someone else, as well as their future generations to follow.
A Federal Responsibility, Not State or Local
Second, reparations are not a state or local issue, but a federal responsibility. Long before the day the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, and in spite of the fact it enshrined the statement that, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” and then from the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1789, to Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War, our federal government allowed slavey. It continued for another 65 years after the Constitution was ratified on May 29, 1790, for a total of 246 years since the first African slaves were brought to our country in 1619. So, again, reparations are a federal responsibility.
(A side, historical note on the Three-Fifths Compromise and clauses in the Constitution. It was not intended by the framers to further devalue the lives of slaves, but to reduce the influence in Congress by the slave states, by preventing them from having additional members in the House of Representatives and a greater number of electors in presidential elections. The slave states wanted to include the slaves in the census count, while the free states didn’t want them included at all. The compromise determined that three out of every five slaves were counted when establishing a state’s total population. A benefit to the slave states was it reduced the amount of taxes they had to pay to the federal government.
In Article I, Section II, Clause III of the Constitution, the Three-Fifths Compromise is stated as:
“Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included in this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other persons.”
See also James Madison’s writings in Federalist Paper No. 54 in which he argues that slaves were both property and people, and thus required some degree of representation).
But I digress. Back to the issue at hand.
Reparations Are About Land, An Asset
Third, to my Democrat friends I remind them, reparations were initially land and that’s what they still should be, today, not cash. They should be about helping Black Americans own an asset for their use, from which to generate income and to pass on to future generations.
The federal government owns over one-fourth of the land in the U.S. According to a 2020 report and 2023 report by the Congressional Research Service, it amounts to “roughly 640 million acres, about 28% of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States”.
Looking at a map you’ll see the federal land is “heavily concentrated in 12 western states (including Alaska), 3 where the federal government owns roughly half of the overall land area.” That includes 45.4% of California, 60.9% of Alaska, 38.6% of Arizona, 36.2% of Colorado, 20.2% of Hawaii, 61.9% of Idaho, 29.0% of Montana, 80.1% of Nevada, 52.5% of Oregon, 63.1% of Utah, 28.6% of Washington and 46.7% of Wyoming. The federal government also owns 12.9% of Florida.
Much of that land is either in national parks (79.9 million acres), in national forests (192.9 million acres) or is farm and ranch land leased to farmers and ranchers. Five federal agencies administer most of it, including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS) in the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Forest Service (FS) in the Department of Agriculture. with the Department of Defense controlling 8.8 million acres, and 4% administered by multiple other agencies.
So, my proposal is to give to all Black Americans, who can prove they are a descendant of a slave in America, some of that federal land. It can either be given out on an individual or family basis.
While not all Black Americans are descendants of a slave in the U.S. – for example, Vice President Kamala Harris, whose father descended from a Jamaican slave, would not qualify – for simple calculation purposes let’s say all of them are. Blacks currently make up about 13% of the U.S. population of about 330 million people for a total of 40 million people.
If we gave every Black American one, two or even five acres, that would be 40, 80 or as much as 200 million acres which would still leave 440 million acres remaining for ownership and use by the federal government. (Frankly, I don’t understand why the federal government needs to own so much land, especially ranch land for grazing, anyway.)
The new owners could do what they want with the land: farm it, drill it for oil, gas or water, mine it, lease it, swap it with other reparation land recipients, build a home on it, borrow against it, or perhaps form joint ventures with neighboring property owners and develop new communities, even cities. But I believe the one stipulation should be the land could only be sold to another descendant of an American slave. Then, it could be passed on to future generations.
Another argument I’ve heard or read about reparations is, why should people today have to pay anything when neither they nor their family ever owned slaves. This approach addresses that concern. By giving out federal land, there would be no cost to current taxpayers. While it might reduce revenue to the federal government from a reduction in leased lands, that’s a small price to pay for addressing this 160-year-old matter once and for all time.
No One Has to Participate
Some Black people have stated publicly they don’t need or want the help and find it offensive that they be offered reparations. Let’s be clear, no one who is qualified has to participate in a federal reparations program. But I believe most would. Who wouldn’t want free land?
Those who chose to participate would, of course, have to prove their status, and some form of reparations commission or government agency would have to be formed to verify their status and manage the distribution of the land grants. Once verified, program participants would be entered into a lottery and the property could be distributed in periodic drawings. It could even be televised nationally as the participants’ numbers are drawn, and advertising could be sold, and the revenue shared with the federal government to make up for the loss of land lease revenue.
One Time Program May Take Several Years
To sum up, I say it’s time, once and for all, to fulfill the commitment of reparations ordered in 1865 and give portions of federally owned land to the descendants of slaves in the U.S. It might take several years to accomplish, but I believe we should and could start right away. Once the land has been distributed and all who want it received their share, then that would be it. We’d be done. Everyone would be happy, and there could be no more complaining. The agency would be disbanded, the issue would be put to rest, and it would be up to the new landowners to make do with theirs what they can.
Now, all we need is for Members of Congress and U.S. Senators to introduce the idea and move it forward.
Read MoreBy Suzanne Hale, Communications Specialist, America’s Best Restaurants
SAN RAMON: – Local restaurant Shish Grill will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) in early March 2024.
America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to Shish Grill in Samon restaurant on March 7th. Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with owners Guss and Nancy Annan about the restaurant’s special place in the community. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.
Providing authentic Mediterranean food in the San Ramon area, Shish Grill offers an extensive menu of Greek, Lebanese and Mediterranean food served in a casual setting. The space is also home to an international market where produce, ready-made foods and pantry staples can also be purchased.
Shish Grill has a commitment to reduce use of disposable products to save money and help the environment. By using reusable dishware, the restaurant reduces their use of plasticware by tens of thousands of pieces a year.
The healthy cuisine, which includes many vegetarian and vegan options, is popular with the community; Shish Grill offers catering for all sizes of group gatherings. Popular items include the Shish Plate, a mix of beef, chicken, and kafta kabobs with rice and vegetables; chicken shawarma; and Spicy Chicken, noted on the menu as chef Nancy’s favorite, which is chicken breast stir-fried with onions, bell peppers, roasted garlic and housemade shish grill hot sauce.
Shish Grill has won East Bay Times’ “Best in East Bay 2023” for several categories several years in a row, including 2023 Best Neighborhood Grocery and Best Barbecue.
America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location on Thursday March 7th from 2 pm to 5 pm PST. The press is invited to attend. The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on their Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website at https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/california/shish-grill.
Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are found through customer nominations or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.
About Shish Grill: Open Monday through Saturday, Shish Grill is located at 1061 Market Place in San Ramon, CA. Telephone is (925) 415-3270. For more information visit www.theshishgrill.com.
About ABR: America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and restaurant marketing company based in Florence, KY, travels the country telling the stories and highlighting the unique food of locally owned independent restaurants as part of their ABR Roadshow. Restaurants are featured not only on ABR’s Restaurant Network of social media channels and website, but also each individual establishment’s Facebook page. With over 1000 episodes filmed, America’s Best Restaurants is the premier marketing agency for restaurant owners and operators to have their story broadcast coast-to-coast. Visit AmericasBestRestaurants.com to learn more and to view the episodes and profiles of hundreds of America’s Best Restaurants!
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