February 16, 2018

Orange County

O.C. supervisors approve aid package to shelter riverbed homeless, paving way for encampment clearing

The board’s action provides: up to 400 vouchers for encampment inhabitants to live in local motels for at least 30 days; $180,000 to purchase food vouchers and authorization for county staff to expand capacity at the Bridges at Kraemer Place homeless shelter in Anaheim by 92 beds.

 

Mother Jones: A federal judge ordered wealthy Orange County to find housing for its homeless

“I’m tired of the paperwork and the ‘we can’t get it done’ nonsense,” District Court Judge David Carter told attorneys in a lawsuit filed by a group of homeless people and a local anti-poverty nonprofit against the county and several cities. “I’m looking for solutions.”

 

OC Register: California rents have risen to some of the nation’s highest. Here’s how that impacts residents

In Orange County, rents increased $355 a month, while in the Inland Empire they’re up $266 a month. More than half of Southern California’s tenants are “rent burdened,” meaning they spend at least a third of their income on rent, U.S. Census figures show.

 

Voice of OC: Judge upholds cut in Bustamante’s pension over sex crimes

The state Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act, known as PEPRA, which went into effect in 2013 and requires “current or future” public officials convicted of a felony while carrying out their official duties to forfeit pension benefits earned from the date of the commission of the felony.

 

Labor

The Hill: German union's big win shows US labor the path forward

IG Metall workers won its key demand that workers have the right to reduce their working week from 35 to 28 hours for a period of up to two years in order to care for family members.

 

NY Times: Where did your pay raise go? It may have become a bonus

Since the late 1980s, an increasing share of companies’ payrolls has gone toward one-time bonuses and awards, while the share devoted to salary increases has fallen, according to data collected by Aon Hewitt, a human resources consulting firm.

 

Nation

The New York Times: What explains U.S. mass shootings? International comparisons suggest an answer

An ever-growing body of research consistently reaches the same conclusion. The only variable that can explain the high rate of mass shootings in America is its astronomical number of guns.

 

Buzz Feed: Here are all of the victims of the Florida school shooting

Twelve people were killed inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and two died outside, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said. Another victim was found dead in the street, he said, and two succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.

 

Publication Date: February 16, 2018