∙ As previously covered, two 15-year-old students were arrested for starting a fire at Mound Elementary School in Ventura on July 22.

The Ventura Unified School District board unanimously voted to declare an emergency which will expedite the necessary decisions as necessary to quickly resolve the situation. The district will be leasing and installing a portable building and proceed with repairing the fire damage. Demolition has been started.

The moral and legal question remains in terms of what is the appropriate action to take against 15-year-olds? Certainly, they need lots of help. Should they be incarcerated until they are 21? Will putting them in prison help or just make them worse?

I feel for their families trying to deal with this.

∙ Because we have a Sudoku puzzle in each issue, I thought it would be fun to share this.

Maki Kaji, the creator of the popular numbers puzzle Sudoku whose life’s work was spreading the joy of puzzles, has died. He was 69 and had bile duct cancer. Known as the “Godfather of Sudoku,” its name is made up of the Japanese characters for “number” and “single.” There are different levels of difficulty for each puzzle.

It wasn’t until 2004, when Sudoku became a global hit, after a fan from New Zealand pitched it and got it published in a British newspaper.

∙ Question: Regarding Afghanistan, what president said this last year? ‘It had been a long and hard journey in Afghanistan. It’s time after all these years to bring our people back home.”

Answer: Trump.

I certainly agree with Trump and feel that Biden is doing the correct thing. He isn’t doing as well as it should have been accomplished, but after 20-years and an estimated 2 trillion dollars, the time has come to get out.

Of course, some Afghanistan people, especially women will be hurt by this, but there is really no way to deal with religious zealots no matter where, or who, they are. If this had been done with better preparation (as it should have been), eventually the results would have been basically the same.

The Taliban rule will be draconian. But how long would the United States need to remain there to prevent this from happening? Another 20-years, forever?

The basic problem, and miscalculation, was that the Afghanistan military would fight to “save” their country. Maybe we should have known this.

Act 1: Ten Taliban (driving old beat-up trucks and old motorcycles) wearing sandals, head scarfs and civilian clothes approach an Afghanistan military base and declare “we have the place surrounded so give up.”

Act 2: 50% of the military throw down there never-used weapons and give up. The other 50% change into their civilian clothes and go home.

U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan stated, “The Afghan military chose not to fight for their country.” It appears Taliban fighters met almost no resistance from the U.S. trained military.

If they are not willing to fight for their country, I don’t think that we should die for them anymore.

We can no longer be the savior for the entire world. Right now, we have enough of our own serious problems to deal with. We should certainly still provide aid to situations like the one in Haiti.

Those are my thoughts. As always, I would love to hear yours. Publisher @venturabreeze.com

∙ The cousin of a Texas mother of four who died recently following a month-long battle with COVID-19 told news outlets that she asked relatives to make sure her children get vaccinated before she was intubated.

Lydia Rodriguez, who was not vaccinated and whose husband Lawrence also died this summer after contracting COVID-19, was first hospitalized in mid-July. According to a fundraising page set up on the family’s behalf, the couple were both in the ICU at the same time.

“Before she got intubated, one of the last things she told her sister was ‘Please make sure my children get vaccinated,’” Dottie Jones, the woman’s cousin, told the news outlet. “She would be there for her kids right now if she had been vaccinated.”

Most days during the coronavirus pandemic, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke could be found strolling down the streets of Rome mask less and carrying rosary beads. The 73-year-old conservative cardinal was an early critic of social distancing and, later, an unabashed skeptic of the vaccine.

Last Tuesday, Burke announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus. Now, the cardinal is in a hospital bed in his native Wisconsin, breathing with the help of a ventilator.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has tested positive for COVID-19, the governor’s office announced in a release.

Conservative talk radio host Phil Valentine has died following a lengthy battle with COVID-19. He was 61 years old. Recently Valentine voiced skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine.

In December of 2020 he tweeted, “I have a very low risk of A) getting COVID and B) dying of it. If I do, why would I risk getting a heart attack or paralysis by getting the vaccine?”

At least he won’t have a heart attack or paralysis.

I certainly understand that vaccines aren’t 100% perfect, but of the new 10,000 COVID cases in Miami, 98% of the patients were not vaccinated.

∙ Guns in The News:

A 3-year-old girl was killed after a 5-year-old boy shot her in Minnesota. The shooting was reported in a residence in the town of Bena, according to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. Upon arrival, deputies learned that the victim had been shot inside the home.

An autopsy is pending with the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office, and an investigation is ongoing, Burch said. It remains unclear whether criminal charges will be filed in connection with the incident against the gun owner. They certainly should be.

At least 3,371 children and teens in the U.S. were killed with guns in 2019, according to a report this year from the Children’s Defense Fund, a child advocacy nonprofit organization. The group estimates that a child was killed by a gun every two and a half hours during that year.

Three people are dead, and two others are in critical condition after an overnight shooting at an East Side sports bar, according to San Antonio police. The shooting happened around 3:23 a.m., Sunday, after-hours at the Boom Boom Sports Bar (I guess Boom Boom is the sound of guns being fired.)

Police said a fight started inside of the bar between two people before it spilled into the parking lot. A man then went to his car, pulled a long gun, and started shooting rounds in the air, striking five people – two women, and three men.

The two people shot dead at an NHK factory in Frankfort, Indiana, were employees of the company – a grandmother and granddaughter who were arriving for their shift, according to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office. The alleged suspect, 26-year-old Gary C. Ferrell, an employee at the factory is in custody.

∙ Recently, I was at the city parking garage at the beach. It is disgraceful. Filthy, (cigarette butts everywhere) and is in dire need of much painting. Hardly an introduction to Ventura that we want tourists to see.

∙ There is as show on TV called Ancient Aliens that constantly asks” could (fill in anything ancient) this perhaps be the work of ancient aliens?” I have concluded that spinach might be the work of ancient aliens. No one on earth likers spinach so perhaps spinach is what aliens eat, and they have planted it here so that when they take over the earth they have something to eat. Take a close look at Popeye, does he look he came from earth?

∙ Recently, a group of Venturan’s appealed the 72-unit Haley townhouse project that has been approved by the city. Their appeal cited several decisions that they believe were made by the city, but, in reality the State is slowly taking away cities zoning and planning regulations and allowing developers to be given variances that those appealing thought the city had given.

California lawmakers have been pushing for legislation to override locally approved zoning rules in order to permit denser developments in residential neighborhoods by rewriting city land use rules in California. It would effectively eliminate single family zoning in California. A residential lot currently zoned for one single family residence could soon have four residences on the property. This is to expand the State’s housing supply and increase the construction of badly needed housing.

There has, of course, been strong opposition by many cities fearing that it would destroy quiet neighborhoods with large scale projects and many cars brought into the neighborhood. Very high current construction costs will probably prevent most homeowners from building more units on their properties, but some certainly will.

∙ From the LA Times.

“Only one private institution is mentioned in the Constitution. The press. Our nations founders recognized that a press free to criticize those in power and spread information across society is essential in the democracy. The Constitution not only allows but requires the government to take steps to keep the press viable. In fact, the government has done this since the beginning of the Republic.”

Regarding newspapers, it went on to say; “Especially notable is a loss of reporting in smaller towns, suburbs and real areas. Leaving thousands of American Communities with no local coverage.”

A way that the government might help the failing news industry is by way of a bill that has bipartisan support in Congress. The Local Journalism Sustainability Act creates tax incentives to encourage readers to subscribe and even donate to local newspapers. It would also provide tax incentives to businesses that advertise in local newspapers. Long live the Ventura Breeze.

∙ Guess which ex-president made this articulate statement?

“This country has, for whatever reason, also refused to produce the network routers. We want the routers, Sonny, Wendy, we got to get those routers, please. Those routers. Come on, Kelly, we can get those routers. Those routers. You know what? We’re so beyond the routers, there’s so many fraudulent without the routers. But if you got those routers, what that will show, and they don’t want to give up the routers. They don’t want to give them. They are fighting like hell. Why are these commissioners fighting not to give up the routers?”

∙ Arizona county election officials have found fewer than 200 cases of potential voter fraud in more than 3 million ballots cast in last year’s election. It turns out that Biden really might be our President.

∙ Former South Florida talk show host Dick Farrel, known and beloved by fans for his over-the-top right-wing opinions, has died from complications from COVID-19.

On Facebook, Farrel advocated against getting the coronavirus vaccine and was skeptical of Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and his recommendations concerning the coronavirus. Friends said after contracting the virus he changed his point of view.

∙ Guns in the News.

Firefighters battling the wildfires in California say some residents have pulled guns on them because they don’t want to evacuate.

Crews encountered the armed homeowners as the Dixie fire, which has been raging for three-weeks, tore towards the town of Greenville (which has been destroyed) in the state’s North.

“We have firefighters that are getting guns pulled out on them because people don’t want to evacuate,” California Incident Management operations section chief Jake Cagle stated.

President Biden announced a slate of actions aimed at fulfilling his campaign promise to combat the proliferation of gun violence in this country. The action, while necessary, also shows how few options a president has for addressing this critical and deadly issue.

∙ Interesting facts in mid-year crime report in this issue. It seems crime was down during COVID lockdowns and closures, but up again as things open-up. I guess crooks were afraid of getting sick (tough way to fight crime).

∙Enrollment in the Ventura Unified School District has reached its lowest point in 25 years, a decline that will mean less funding for schools in years to come.

The district enrolled 15,874 students this past school year, the lowest since 1996-97. At its largest, the district had 17,794 students in 2003-04. Ventura currently has 15,742 students enrolled for the fall.

A committee will be formed that will focus on ways to address the decline and its long term effects.

∙I would like to hear from readers if they have felt the same way as I have as we venture out more to attend events and eat at restaurants. Being in introvert (that is different then being shy), my DNA changed due to basically being sequestered for over a year.

A few weeks ago, there was an event at the museum that I looked forward to going to and on the day of the event I was thinking of every reason not to go. I finally went but it wasn’t easy, and I felt awkward attending. I’m feeling more comfortable getting out now but still have a tendency to just want to stay home.

∙Speaking about DNA, according to a new study published by Science Advances as little as 1.5 percent of our DNA is unique to modern humans, and not shared with our ancestral species.

“That’s a pretty small percentage,” Nathan Schaefer, a University of California scholar and co-author of the report stated. “This kind of finding is why scientists are turning away from thinking that we human are so vastly different from Neanderthals.”

The study compared modern human DNA to that extracted from the fossilized remains of extinct Neanderthals and Denisovans, two pre-human species that died off 35,000 and 50,000 years ago, respectively. Both species are believed to have bred with early humans.

∙Two Swedish prison guards were held hostage for nine hours by two inmates demanding pizza as ransom, they were released when the food was delivered. I’m sure they could have held out for an Antipasto salad also.

∙An Alabama doctor has revealed heartbreaking details about her recent conversations with patients dying from COVID-19, amid a surge in cases caused by the Delta variant in the state with the lowest vaccination rate in the nation.

“I’m admitting young healthy people to the hospital with very serious COVID,” Dr. Brytney Cobia wrote. “One of the last things they do before they’re intubated is beg me for the vaccine. I hold their hand and tell them that I’m sorry, but it’s too late.

“A few days later when I call time of death, I hug their family members and I tell them the best way to honor their loved one is to go get vaccinated and encourage everyone they know to do the same,” Cobia added. “They cry. And they tell me they didn’t know. They thought it was a hoax. They thought it was political. They thought because they had a certain blood type or a certain skin color they wouldn’t get as sick. They thought it was ‘just the flu’. But they were wrong. And they wish they could go back.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued an impassioned plea for residents of her state to get vaccinated against Covid-19, arguing it was “time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks” for the disease’s continued spread. I want folks to get vaccinated. That’s the cure. That prevents everything,” Ivey, a Republican stated. (Alabama has about a 33% vaccination rate).

For months, conservative Nashville, Tennessee-based radio host Phil Valentine has repeatedly made posts on multiple social media platforms telling his fans that if they weren’t at risk for COVID, they shouldn’t get the vaccine. That message changed on July 23, when the Valentine family made a public statement on the Facebook page of his talk radio station’s Facebook page that he had COVID.

A man who mocked Covid-19 vaccinations died this week at a Los Angeles-area hospital after contracting the virus. Stephen Harmon was 34. Stephen Harmon posted photos of himself in his hospital bed, wrote that he had pneumonia and critically low oxygen levels and was going to be intubated.

Three days before his death, Harmon tweeted: “If you don’t have faith that God can heal me over your stupid ventilator then keep the Hell out of my ICU room, there’s no room in here for fear or lack of faith!” Perhaps before waiting for God to cure him he should have been vaccinated as a back-up.

∙I have mentioned this before but will again. I receive emails from Trump fan’s that basically call me a clown, an idiot and worse for criticizing him. A 3-year-old could email me that. My response is always the same; “Instead of knocking me, explain why you support Trump.” I never receive a response. I’m still waiting.

∙GUNS IN THE NEWS

A drive-by shooting targeting a party bus in Chicago has left eight people injured in what was the third mass attack in the city in a span of six hours, police say.

Eight people were injured in a shooting near a car wash in Fort Worth, Texas, after a group of men got into an argument. One of the men left the scene during the argument, returned with a gun and began firing “toward groups of people,” Fort Worth Police said in a news release. Multiple people returned gunfire, the release said. Most of the victims are believed to have been innocent bystanders who weren’t involved in the initial argument, according to Fort Worth Police.

Authorities are investigating a Massachusetts shooting that left two Black people dead as a hate crime after investigators found “some troubling white supremacist rhetoric” in the gunman’s handwriting.

A man and a woman were finishing dinner at a restaurant at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston, Texas when a man seated at the other end of the bar got up, approached the pair and opened fire. Then the male suspect killed himself.

California Governor Newsom asked, at a meeting with members of a gun victim’s family, “What the hell’s wrong with us? When are we going to put down our arms, literally and figuratively? What is going on in the United States of America?”

∙Former Attorney General William Barr bluntly dismissed some of former President Donald Trump’s election fraud allegations as “bulls***. My attitude was: It was put-up or shut-up time,” Barr recalled at one point. “If there was evidence of fraud, I had no motive to suppress it. But my suspicion all the way along was that there was nothing there.”

In spite of this, based only on Trump’s absurd claims that the elections were stolen, more than 6 in 10 GOP voters either “strongly” (39%) or “somewhat” (22%) agreed with the statement that the 2020 election “was stolen from Donald Trump.

Those numbers are astonishing.

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer called a Trump statement accusing the county of deleting an elections database “unhinged” and called on other Republicans to stop the unfounded accusations.” We can’t indulge these insane lies any longer. As a party. As a state. As a country,” Richer tweeted.

∙ I’m sure you know by now, but in case you don’t, beginning July 5, E.J. Harrison & Sons began weekly residential curbside collection of all 3 bins; trash, household recycling, and yard waste, at no additional charge. You no longer need to alternate the weekly collections of recycling and yard waste services. This service upgrade is part of Harrison’s ongoing commitment to keep up with the rapidly evolving world of recycling on the road to zero waste. It always amazed me how many people couldn’t figure out which cans to put out, so they put out all 3 anyway.

∙ The city of Ventura has apologized for texts sent by a planner during a May 26 Planning Commission meeting considering the 72-townhome Haley Point project in midtown Ventura.

The associate planner, Jamie Peltier, was seen texting. She was communicating with an unnamed relative and city staff. In the text she wrote, “I hate the public so much,” and “They hate everything and everyone.”

In describing the Haley Point project, Peltier wrote, “What a lovely development that the community HATES (her caps).” Later, she described opponents of the project saying, “They went straight psycho.”

Ventura spokesperson Heather Sumagaysay issued an apology saying, “It is unfortunate that the employee used a personal mobile device to communicate with a family member during the meeting for communications related to the public’s business,” Sumagaysay said.

“We deeply regret this happened. This does not reflect the respect for the public to which the city is committed.”

I don’t believe texting should be allowed during meetings, unless an emergency or relevant to the proceedings. I think she should be removed from the commission or should step down.

The commission’s approval of this project was appealed to the City Council. On Monday, July 12 the Council voted 7-0 to deny the appeal so the project will slowly proceed through other city approvals as necessary to commence with the construction.

∙ Last month, 130 people died of Covid-19 in Maryland. None of them were vaccinated, according to Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. In addition, unvaccinated people made up 95% of new Covid-19 cases in the state and 93% of new Covid-19 hospitalizations, Hogan said.

The connection between vaccination status and Covid-19 is not specific to Maryland and is not limited to last month.

The new Delta coronavirus variant is focusing on the dangers of the people who haven’t been vaccinated, so go get your vaccination. Delta is more contagious, deadlier, and is quickly spreading.

Currently, the variant accounts for 1 in 4 cases in the U.S., according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But that number could keep rising if vaccination rates don’t start picking up quickly enough. Among those ages 18 and up in the U.S., 57.4% are fully vaccinated, while 66.5% has received at least one shot. The life you save might be mine.

A true story. When Carmichael felt sick from side effects after her first COVID-19 vaccine, her mother Jones decided to skip hers and hope for the best.

Her family said Jones contracted the Delta variant and died June 9. They are hoping no one else has to go through what they went through and are encouraging others to get vaccinated or wear a mask and socially distance.

∙ The deadly heat wave that has devastated many parts of the country (Palm Spring’s 120, 130 in Death Valley) was impossible without human-caused climate change that added a few extra degrees to the record-smashing temperatures. An international team of 27 scientists calculated that climate change increased chances of the extreme heat occurring by at least 150 times.

Luckily, we don’t know much about heat waves in Ventura. Hot here is 75, and we complain.

∙ Bible studies: Eating shellfish and wearing a shirt with two kinds of thread are forbidden in Leviticus.

∙ Bill Cosby has been freed from prison after Pennsylvania’s highest court overturned his sexual assault conviction. Some people, including Bill Cosby, believe that he has been found innocent of his many crimes against women. This is not the case – he is just as guilty today as he was 3 weeks ago.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court said that they found an agreement with a previous prosecutor that prevented him from being charged in the case. Legal scholars say that it was the right decision because his 5th Amendment right not to incriminate himself had been violated. Attorney Erwin Chemerinsky stated, “Even those who commit despicable crimes are protected by the Constitution.” Perhaps the prosecutor who made this possible should be made to finish out Cosby’s time in prison.

∙ President Biden has signed several Executive orders that he believes will help consumers. One that could be of the most help asking the Food and Drug Administration to work with states to allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada where they often cost a fraction of the US prices. It also deals with the fact that the 10 largest healthcare systems control a quarter of the market. It is believed that this results in higher prices and less choice for patients. There are other provisions that will help our poor health system.

∙ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), during an interview on a conservative podcast, compared House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to continue to require members of the House to wear masks on the chamber floor to steps the Nazis took to control the Jewish population during the Holocaust. Scary ain’t it that this woman is in our government?

Some House Republican leaders have condemned her incendiary remarks as well as Jewish groups aimed at the Georgia congresswoman and the party leaders’ silence.

“Marjorie is wrong, and her intentional decision to compare the horrors of the Holocaust with wearing masks is appalling,” said House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy .

∙ All K-12 public schools in Florida will hold a moment of silence at the start of the day starting next school year, according to a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

According to the law, principals of each public school shall require teachers in first-period classrooms in all grades to set aside at least one minute but not more than two minutes daily for the moment of silence (will teachers be required to carry stop watches?). Teachers may not make suggestions as to the nature of any reflection that a student may engage in during the moment of silence, the law states. A period of “silent prayer or meditation” was optional for school districts in the state prior to the new law.

“It’s important to be able to provide each student the ability every day to reflect and be able to pray as they see fit,” the Republican governor said before signing the bill. “The idea that you can just push God out of every institution and be successful, I’m sorry our founding fathers did not believe that.”

Regarding the separation of church and state, in his 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, Thomas Jefferson declared that when the American people adopted the establishment clause, they built a “wall of separation between the church and state.”

Kid’s that want to pray can do that at home and in church, they don’t need to do it in school, nor should they be required to do such.

∙ A 10-year-old boy died in Philadelphia on Saturday after finding a gun in his home and fatally shooting himself. Police said the boy and his 8-year-old sister found the gun in a cabinet in their home in North Philadelphia while they were alone.

According to the University of Washington, U.S. gun deaths is 100 times higher than Britain’s, and 200 times the Japan rate. Nearly 60% of gun deaths are from suicide. Women are five times more apt to be murdered by an abusive partner when the abuser has access to a gun. I doubt if anyone buys a gun thinking that they will kill themselves or their partner.

∙The council has approved 50 affordable apartments for seniors on the west side to compensate for the loss of homes in the 2017 Thomas Fire. The Ventura City Council unanimously approved the $4.6 million project to address the post-fire housing shortage. Five of the apartments will be reserved for homeless seniors. The city’s housing authority will market the apartments to those who were displaced by the wildfire. The senior housing project is part of a four-phase redevelopment.

The project is partially funded with a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant awarded to the city.

Five of the apartments will be reserved for homeless seniors. The project site is at 232 W. Flint St. (off of Olive).

Councilmember Lorrie Brown stated, “The city has a made a commitment to improving the housing in the city of Ventura and this is one of those steps.”

The project is expected to be completed in fall 2024.

∙The Ventura council has finally passed a city budget after weeks of wrangling over fire department funding. On a 6-1 vote, the City Council approved a $303 million spending plan after reaching a compromise to postpone decisions over additional firefighter positions and equipment by at least six months. See page X for more information.

Councilmember Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios wants the city to first develop a strategic plan that defines the fire department’s goals, priorities and targets prior to committing to additional staff and fire vehicles. Less than 5% of the fire department services are for fighting fires.

∙The New York Supreme Court has announced that it is suspending Rudy Giuliani’s license to practice law in the state. The court concluded that Giuliani made “demonstrably false and misleading statements” to courts, lawmakers and the public when he was representing former President Trump and his campaign in their failed effort to overturn the 2020 election results. In a 33-page decision, the court said the seriousness of Giuliani’s “uncontroverted misconduct can not be overstated.”

∙6’-7” Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib has met widespread support since his groundbreaking decision announcing that he is gay. He became the first (and certainly not only) active player in NFL history to come out.

I have a friend who once told me that he can tell if a man is gay but can’t tell if a woman is. He based this on stereotypes that gay men are effeminate. I doubt if Nassib fits this stereotype. And even if he did, who cares. He’s a pro football player, so obviously he has the required skillset to be in the league. I’m happy for him. How tough it must be to be in a “real” man’s sport and need to hide this. This is not a choice a person makes, as it is implanted in their DNA.

∙A Trump supporter who spent 10 minutes inside the US Capitol during the January 6 insurrection was sentenced to probation Wednesday, avoiding jail. He is the first rioter to learn their punishment in the riot investigation.

At a hearing in DC federal court, Judge Royce Lamberth said the insurrection was a “disgrace” and forcefully rebuked the “utter nonsense” coming from some Republican lawmakers and other right-wing figures who are whitewashing what happened.

“I don’t know what planet they were on,” Lamberth said of the GOP lawmakers, without mentioning any names. Recent releases of videos from the attack “will show the attempt of some congressman to rewrite history that these were tourists walking through the capitol is utter nonsense.”

A Michigan Senate Oversight Committee report on the election “found no evidence of widespread or systematic fraud in Michigan’s prosecution of the 2020 election.”

∙A draft report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that unless drastic and immediate action is taken to limit greenhouse gas emissions and keep global temperatures from rising further, life on earth is poised for a catastrophic coming.

The 4,000-page draft states that mankind may have already missed its opportunity to keep the climate from passing a series of thresholds that will further create the warming of the planet. “Life on Earth can recover from a drastic climate shift by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems,” the report says. “Humans cannot.”

∙Former Vice President Mike Pence reiterated at a speech at the Reagan Library he did not have the constitutional authority to stop the count of the electoral votes on Jan. 6.

“Now there are those in our party who believe that in my position as presiding officer over the joint session that I possess the authority to reject or return electoral votes certified by the states,” Pence said. “The Constitution provides the vice president with no such authority before the joint session of Congress.” Some Republicans, including former President Trump, called for Pence to reject electoral votes on Jan. 6.

He has been booed at Republican meetings even though he had no authority to reverse the election.

∙Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are people who weren’t vaccinated. An indication that deaths per day, now down to under 300, could be practically eliminated if everyone eligible got the vaccine.

An Associated Press analysis of available government data from May shows that “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people accounted for fewer than 1,200 of more than 853,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations. That’s about 0.1%.

At Sanford Health, which runs 44 medical centers and more than 200 clinics across the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa, less than 5% of the 1,456 patients admitted with COVID-19 so far this year were fully vaccinated.

∙Why I hate partisan politics (on both sides): House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy criticized President Joe Biden’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that Biden “gave Vladimir Putin a pass.”

“The American people suffered massive disruptions because of Russia-linked cyber-attacks,” McCarthy said in a statement released Thursday. “Two Americans, both Marine veterans, are being held as prisoners in Russia. We know Vladimir Putin silences and imprisons his critics.”

He added: “Knowing these facts, President Biden should have used today’s summit to stand up for our national interests and send a message to the world that the United States will hold Russia accountable for its long list of transgressions. Unfortunately, President Biden gave Vladimir Putin a pass.”

McCarthy’s comments come after years of silence from him on former President Donald Trump’s relationship with Putin, which many critics described as him cozying up to the Russian president especially amid intelligence Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

∙ I have concerns about how the recall process is applied and misused. Recall is not meant to remove officials from office because some don’t agree with their policies. It is meant to remove office holders who have committed serious crimes or who just never do their job.’ In a country divided 50-50 on party affiliation every politician would always face recall to just remove them from office.

∙There is an obituary in this issue that is very dear to my heart. Except for one high school friend (and relatives), Jack White was my oldest friend. Jack and I met in the 1950’s when we were studying architecture at Los Angels City College and continued our friendship at the USC School of Architecture. After we obtained our architecture licenses, we remained business and social friends the rest of our lives. Coincidently, several years ago his son Rick and family moved to Ventura. I will miss Jack forever. Just a very special, nice human being. Loving, caring and concerned about life and the world.

∙Fire Chief David Endaya says Ventura needs more firefighters. Council agrees but how do we pay for them? The City Council still could not reach a solution during a special meeting on the fire department’s budget. Council members agreed the fire department needs more money but remained divided over how to provide it.

Nearly 75% of calls to the fire department are for emergency medical help and less than 3% for fire deployment. Perhaps fire should have vehicles more like ambulances to answer medical emergencies instead of sending hook and ladder engines for such calls.

Endaya presented a proposed $24.7 million budget, an increase of $1.4 million from last year to pay for additional part-time employees.

The city’s finance and technology director, Michael Coon, proposed potential cuts that could pay for the fire department improvements. I love one of them which is to eliminate the red light camera program. Ending the camera program in 2022-23 would save the city $1 million.

∙ In a previous issue I suggested that deaths from Covid19 were probably much higher because people were not addressing other health issues that they have. From The Associated Press; “The U.S. saw remarkable increases in the death rates for heart disease, diabetes, and some other common killers in 2020, spurred in part, experts believe, by people making the lethal mistake of avoiding hospitals although they had the symptoms of dangerous illnesses.”

∙Is nothing sacred anymore? It seems that reality shows are never what they appear to be. A worker on one stated, “I worked on Love It or List It, and 99% of the work isn’t done by the people shown doing the work on TV. It’s done by subcontractors. Most of the stuff they put in for design purposes was taken back after the shoot because it wasn’t part of the homeowner’s budget.”

∙A federal judge overturned California’s longtime ban on assault weapons in a ruling that likened the AR-15 to a Swiss Army knife. He stated, “Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment.”

I agree with him, so I immediately went out and purchased a Swiss Army Knife. And a burglar broke into my home, I whipped out my knife, used it to open a bottle of Chardonnay and offered him a glass. He drank it and thanked me, but he did take the whole bottle (only a misdemeanor).

∙This is better than the devil made me do it. The lawyer for a Delaware man charged over the Capitol attack in January is floating a unique defense: Fox News made him do it. Likening the side effects of such a steady diet of misinformation to a mental health syndrome. Isn’t there a pill for this?

∙ “It’s great to have a U.S. president who’s part of the club and very willing to cooperate,” French President Emmanuel Macron.

∙Has this country gone completely mad, besides our daily mass shootings? While speaking at a Dallas conference aimed at QAnon adherents, former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn appeared to endorse the idea of a military coup to reinstate Donald Trump as president. A member of the audience asked about the possibility of a Myanmar-style coup in the US, and Flynn said there was “no reason” something similar couldn’t happen in America. He added, “I mean, it should happen here.”

And speaking about guns, when will the madness end? What happens after shootings is that more people buy guns that are usually used to kill innocent people, relatives, or themselves.

Texas is poised to remove one of its last major gun restrictions after lawmakers approved allowing people to carry handguns without a license and the background checks and training that go with it. The Republican-dominated Legislature approved the measure Monday, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has said he will sign it despite the objections of law enforcement groups who say it would endanger the public and police.

It would take many pages to list the mass and senseless shootings that have taken place in just the last month, but here are just a few.

Just last week two people were killed and at least 30 more were wounded in separate weekend mass shootings reported in three states, stirring already brewing fears that a spike in gun violence could continue into summer. The cities of Savannah, Georgia, Chicago and Austin, Texas are the latest to fall victim to mass shootings late Friday and early Saturday.

Deputies in Volusia County, Florida, shot a 14-year-old girl on Tuesday night after she and a 12-year-old boy broke into a home, found multiple guns inside and then opened fire on deputies, according to Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.

“I don’t know what to say. Where have we gone wrong that a 12-year-old and 14-year-old think it’s okay to take on law enforcement?” he said.

Three people were killed and five were shot during a graduation party in Kendall, Florida, early Sunday, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Miami-Dade police are investigating a shooting that left three people dead and another three people injured during a domestic-related shooting.

A public transit employee opened fire on co-workers at a Northern California rail yard Wednesday, killing more than 8 people before taking his own life. His home contained Molotov cocktails, 12 firearms and approximately 22,000 rounds of various types of ammunition. Did he need all this to protect himself against the bad guys?

After a 9-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in Oxnard, police discovered illegal weapons, cash and drugs at the home and arrested a 17-year-old. A child had shot himself in the hand with a handgun he found inside the home that he thought was a toy.

Two people have died and eight others were injured after a shooting in downtown Minneapolis. Two men standing in a crowd outside got into an argument, pulled out guns and began shooting at each other.

A girl pulled a handgun out of her backpack and fired multiple rounds in a hallway and outside the Rigby Middle School building. A teacher disarmed the student and detained her until law enforcement arrived and took her into custody.

Two groups of people got into a fight outside of a Hugo Boss store. One person brandished a weapon, which spurred someone in the other group to pull out a gun and start firing.

Seven people have died after a gunman barged into a birthday party in Colorado Springs, where his girlfriend was present, before taking his own life.

∙At least nine people were killed after an attack using a semi-automatic shotgun in the city of Kazan in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately ordered an overhaul of laws allowing civilians access to semi-automatic weapons after the latest tragic example of Russia’s outbreak of U.S.-style school shootings. He has more sense than some of our politicians.

∙ In a previous issue, we had and article, along with my comments regarding a proposed Haley Point 72-unit townhome residential project on a 4.3-acre site in mid-town. I generally favored the project. The Ventura Planning Commission, by a 4-0 vote, has approved the development to be located on Channel Dr.

There was some opposition to the development mostly over density and parking.

An appeal can be filed within 10 days of the planning commission decision. Such an appeal would cost $1,000. If the project is appealed, it could be heard by the City Council by the end of June.

∙Finally, Ventura is moving closer to the opening of commercial cannabis businesses by proceeding with the permit application process and evaluation criteria. With the closing of the card club in Ventura, the City is losing several million dollars in tax money that this might make up for.

An Orientation “Kick Off” Meeting will be scheduled for mid-June. At this Orientation

Meeting, consultants and staff will review all application materials including the

Procedures and Guidelines. This meeting is for potential applicants, landlords, and other

interested parties to learn about the requirements in the application process.

Application Period 1 will be open for a 45-day period from Monday, June 28 – Thursday,

August 11, 2021 @ 4:00 pm. Application Period 1 will still only allow for businesses to

apply outside of the Coastal Zone for up to 3 retail and 10 industrial-type permits.

Ventura has a new timeline to bring up to 15 cannabis businesses to the city.

The city announced it was pushing back its window for businesses to apply for a cannabis permit to June 28-Aug. 11.

The city did not want to hold an application kick-off meeting, originally set for May 19, or the launch of the permit program prior to a council update later this month, said Ventura spokeswoman Heather Sumagaysay.

Last week, the council did adopt a resolution authorizing two application periods; one for coastal businesses and one for inland; for a commercial cannabis program with a maximum of 15 businesses.

The first application period, scheduled to start June 28, is for non-coastal zone applicants. The second application period would begin after the California Coastal Commission gives its approval, which is expected before the end of the year.

Speaking about marijuana, more than three months after voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot question legalizing adult use of the drug in New Jersey, it has become law.

Also, in San Diego, a Superior Court judge has reduced felony marijuana records for 26,000 people to misdemeanor convictions and additionally some 1,000 people with misdemeanor marijuana convictions had those cases completely dismissed.

∙ If you are taking the AMTRAK, next to the Fairgrounds, leave yourself a lot of extra time to drop people off or park your car because you might get very confused. Normally, you can drive into the large Fair parking area, drive over by the tracks and park or drive through to drop off folks. Because the parking lot is closed, you can’t do this. And the street next to the tracks is

one-way only. The only way to drive up is to take Olive to the end to what looks like an alley and take that to the train.

One of our clever readers suggested driving backwards up the one-way street so it looks as if you are driving in the right direction. This is, of course illegal, and I wouldn’t suggest doing something illegal.

∙ Drivers throughout the country are complaining about the high cost of gas. The national average price at the pumps is around $3.00 – the highest price in 7 years. We should be so lucky to pay only $3.00.

∙ Earthlings are always concerned that aliens are going to land here. I’m sure when they fly over earth and see what an incredible mess we have made of it they just turn around and fly home. Perhaps they bring students here to show them what happens when people do awful things, so they appreciate where they live in a parallel universe.

∙ When state’s pass laws restricting abortions and women have kids that they can’t afford I think that the state should be required to support the kids until they are 18 – just like any father should need to do.

∙ Senate Republicans have blocked creation of a bipartisan panel to study the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, which, in my opinion was one of the worst days in our history. It certainly felt like as I was watching it. I assume this was to show party loyalty to former President Donald Trump.

The Senate vote was 54-35, short of the 60 votes needed to take up a House passed bill that would have formed a 10-member commission evenly split between the two parties.

Six Republicans (my heroes) voted with Democrats to move forward. 11 senators (nine Republicans and two Democrats) missed the vote, with some saying they had scheduling conflicts. This is inexcusable to me and just shows that they were gutless.

Certainly, we need to determine the cause of this insurrection, how it can be prevented in the future and why Capital police were completely unprepared for it. I would think all politicians should see this as their obligation to the country regardless of their party.

∙ Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has signed a bill to allow public schools to offer yoga, ending a ban that stood for nearly 30 years. Christian conservatives who back the ban said yoga would open the door for people to be converted to Hinduism. How absurd is this.

The new law allows yoga to be offered as an elective, for grades K-12. While it erases a ban that some schools had not realized existed, it also imposes restrictions on how yoga should be taught. Students won’t be allowed to say “Namaste,” for instance. Meditation is not allowed. They also aren’t allowed to say evolution (I made that up but it would be just as stupid).

As goes yoga, goes the world.

∙Wonderful news (see article in this issue) – the Ventura Music Festival confirmed live concerts for July 23, 24 and 25. Things are starting to open-up and feel normal again. Everyone should still get vaccinated if they haven’t, because that is what it takes for things to continue to open. Don’t just count on other people to provide the immunity.

Shame on scams. If you get an email that says your company has been selected the best… (you fill it in) in Ventura, it’s a scam. The group just wants you to spend hundreds of dollars on plaques, etc. Don’t do it.

∙Looking for tennis players. Living at Portside Ventura Harbor, and we have a new tennis court. Want to play or hit? I’m a decent old guy player. Let me know at [email protected]. Or, will teach beginners how to play.

∙Ventura is asking state regulators to conduct a full environmental review of a controversial project to renovate a Southern California Gas company facility located at 1555 N. Olive St.

So Cal Gas Company wants to replace the three gas compressors on the site with four new ones with more horsepower. The California Public Utilities Commission approved the plan in 2019, and the facility has operated at the location since 1923.

The city council passed a resolution on a unanimous vote to request the state Public Utilities Commission and the Department of Toxic Services Control to investigate the Southern California Gas Company compressor site.

This is similar to a previous motion that was passed by the council but contains more details directing state regulators to review the potential environmental, health and safety impacts. This resolution will be maintained in city records forever while a motion can sometimes get lost, said City Attorney Gregory Diaz.

There is considerable opposition to the project without a significant review. Neighbors are concerned dust from the work will expose people to toxic chemicals. And some residents say the North Olive Street facility poses an environmental and safety threat which doesn’t belong near homes, and a school. The facility is located across the street from E.P. Foster Elementary School and the Boys & Girls Club.

The state Department of Toxic Substances Control, which oversees environmental cleanup, lists the remediation of the utility’s Ventura station as ‘voluntary.’

The designation allows property owners to fast-track cleanups with fewer reviews. But the agency retains authority to take enforcement action if it determines the site presents a serious health threat.

SCG states on its website, “Before the compressor modernization project begins, SoCalGas will safely remove historical pollution in parts of the soil on the property associated with prior industrial uses on the property, dating back more than 100 years. This clean-up work will be done safely under a Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)-approved plan, and in compliance with all applicable environmental and public health laws – www.socalgas.com/stay-safe/pipeline-and-storage-safety/ventura.

∙A recent study of Ventura firefighting operations by Emergency Services Consulting International, a consulting arm of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, shows that only 3% of the 911 calls received over a 3-year period (2016-2019) were for fires. The majority, 73%, were for emergency medical service (EMS). Another 15% were “good intent” calls, or what ordinary people call false alarms. Ventura Fire is using an outdated business model to address modern challenges.

The 227-page study, titled ESCI Operational Assessment of the Ventura Fire Department, outlined the needs of the city’s fire department and was unveiled late last month at a special Ventura City Council meeting.

The $57,000 study recommended conducting a comprehensive engineering and architectural assessment of each fire station and adding eight firefighters to provide adequate relief and explored placing a tax measure on the ballot to support the fire department. The department currently has 72 full-time firefighters, but it needs 80.

According to the study, only two of the six stations are considered in “good” condition with a combined overall average age of 50 years. Three of the stations do not have seismic protection and lack necessary space to support department operations.

The study showed that adding six positions to make the part-time roving medic engine a full-time unit would amount to $72,000 in one-time costs and $945,966 in annual salary and benefit costs.

According to the study, the estimated costs for eight firefighters would be about $96,000 in one-time costs and $1.2 million in annual salary and benefits costs. The salary and benefits of the eight firefighters would increase every year to more than $2.2 million in 2032.

The city is anticipating receiving $28 million in one-time revenue from the federal recovery act and a Thomas Fire settlement from SCE. Some of these funds can be used to bolster firefighting resources. The new revenue is part of the city’s proposed $307.4 million budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

The city council is reviewing the study and assessing how to meet the budgeting obligations and specific needs of the department.

∙Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean lashed out at President Donald Trump, accusing him of misleading his supporters and then deserting them despite their unwavering loyalty.

“We are now and always have been on our own. So glad he was able to pardon a bunch of degenerates as his last move and s— on us on the way out,” Nordean said in an expletive-laden message about the former president. “F— you trump you left us on the battlefield bloody and alone.”

Nordean is one of several members of the extremist group with ties to white supremacy whose members describe themselves as “Western Chauvinists.” He’s among the more than 400 people who have been charged for their alleged roles in the deadly assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6.

∙Former 8-year-old fourth grader who lost his class presidency, ooops I mean President Donald Trump, released a statement Saturday claiming 2020 election polling suppressed voters and attacking both former Vice President Mike Pence and GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Trump continues to push baseless claims about the 2020 election, alleging that Democrats and President Joe Biden “rigged” votes despite a lack of substantiating evidence. In the Saturday statement, forwarded to Newsweek by Trump adviser Jason Miller, Trump took aim at polling ahead of the election that projected Biden winning by a larger margin of votes than he ultimately received. Trump also slammed Pence for a lack of “courage” to help overturn the election results and McConnell for being “weak and pathetic.”

∙A new study estimates that the number of people who have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. is more than 900,000, a number 57% higher than official figures. Worldwide, the study’s authors say, the COVID-19 death count is nearing 7 million, more than double the reported number of 3.24 million.

The analysis comes from researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, who looked at excess mortality from March 2020 through May 3, 2021, compared it with what would be expected in a typical non pandemic year, then adjusted those figures to account for a handful of other pandemic-related factors.

The final count only estimates deaths “caused directly by the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” according to the study’s authors. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.

∙A photo has emerged of Andrew Clyde, the Republican congressman from Georgia who claimed “there was no insurrection” and compared US Capitol rioters to “tourists”, barricading the House chamber during the attack.

Speaking on Wednesday to the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Clyde downplayed the actions of the pro-Trump mob who stormed the Capitol on 6 January as “a normal tourist visit”.

I completely understand, most tourists break windows, scale walls and over power guards for a friendly visit to the capitol. The violent attack left five dead including one police officer. Maybe tourists shouldn’t be allowed in the Capital in the future.

∙Once again, I want to thank our wonderful readers who are contributing financially to support the Ventura Breeze. The Breeze staff appreciates what you are doing to help keep us in print. The good news is as COVID control allows more businesses to open, our advertising base, is improving.

∙In this issue (page 7), we have an article on a proposed 72-unit townhouse project to be located on Channel Dr. There has been organized objection to the project. The proposed Haley Point development includes 14 units, or 20%, which will be “below market rate” for low- and moderate-income households. This is a very important part of the project. The Haley Point project is located in Dist. 2, represented by Councilmember Doug Halter.

It is important to know that the State of California is basically now in charge of all housing projects in California per Senate Bill 330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, whether single-family housing or multi-units like this one.

The State wants much more housing built in California with an emphasis on low and moderate income households. When 20% are affordable units per the State bonus density, the developer gets two concessions (not city variances – that’s out of the city’s hands). The developer used their two concessions to reduce two setbacks. In other words, they did not request any discretionary approvals or variances from the city. The development also gets some leeway on parking standards. But each unit will have a 2-car garage.

If a project complies with the density range of the General Plan (which this does), Ventura’s ability to reduce units or deny the project has been eliminated. The state’s emphasis on the housing crisis has limited the city’s ability to do much regulation. The Ventura General Plan designation for this site actually allows more units than the developer has proposed.

Soon R-1 single family lots will be a thing of the past and all residential lots will be allowed to build another unit. Again, state mandates. The State, under some conditions, is also lowering parking standards.

This will be a very good-looking development and much safer and better looking than the blight that was there. And the value of immediate homes will be greatly increased, plus crime will likely be reduced because of this project.

∙I find ads on TV from some attorneys very disturbing. One such ad is targeted to women who have been sexually assaulted. It gives a list of possible exploiters to sue. Among the list is “by a wealthy businessman.” So, if you’ve been assaulted by a businessman who is not wealthy (they don’t mention what wealthy is exactly) don’t bother contacting them because it isn’t worth their time to help you out in a humanitarian manner.

∙Another aspect of the Derek Chauvin conviction that I think is just as important is that the “blue wall of silence” has been eliminated in this trial with police officers (even Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo) testifying against Chauvin. I think policing will change in the aftermath of Chauvin’s guilty verdict and officers (knowing that other officers might now testify against them) will be more aware of their actions.

∙Five months after the presidential election, the Supreme Court recently said that it won’t take up a case from several Republicans challenging changes to election rules in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. The unsigned ruling sends yet another message that the court’s majority has no interest in relitigating the last election.

Before Monday, the justices had already declined several requests to dive into one of the most litigious elections in history, denying petitions from then President Donald Trump and other Republicans seeking to overturn election result in multiple states President Joe Biden won.
∙With our very divided two-party system, being president is very tough. Any president is immediately approved by 50% and condemned by 50% before they even do anything. Therefore, a president with a 55% approval rating is considered to be doing a good job.

∙Former President George W. Bush, who has mostly stayed on the political sidelines after leaving the White House, has reemerged with criticism of his Republican successor as he advocates for a sharply different immigration policy from former President Donald Trump. “The problem with the immigration debate is that it, one, can create a lot of fear. ‘They’re coming after you,'” Mr. Bush said during a recent interview with CBS News at his 1,600-acre ranch in Crawford, Texas.

“The country was very divided during that period of time. And, you know, as a result, he wasn’t reelected,” Mr. Bush said of Trump.

∙Six days after Election Day 2020, then President Donald Trump tweeted this: “Nevada is turning out to be a cesspool of Fake Votes.” He added that when the findings were released, “will be absolutely shocking!” All of the country votes were shocking to him because he lost.
Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, announced that her office had found zero “evidentiary support” for claims of fraud or bias in the Silver State’s 2020 election results.

“While the Nevada Republican Party raises policy concerns about the integrity of mail-in voting, automatic voter registration, and same-day voter registration, these concerns do not amount to evidentiary support for the contention that the 2020 general election was plagued by widespread voter fraud,” wrote Cegavske in a letter to the Nevada GOP.

∙Georgia’s new sweeping elections law has a number of controversial provisions that will restrict access to voting. One in particular sounds as if is from SNL. Under the bill, signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, it’s now illegal to hand out food or water to people standing in line to vote.

“No person shall solicit votes in any manner or by any means or method, nor shall any person distribute or display any campaign material, nor shall any person give, offer to give, or participate in the giving of any money or gifts, including, but not limited to, food and drink, to an elector,” the new law states.

Perhaps voters can be bought-off for a slice of pizza.

∙This sounds like another episode of SNL. A 28-year ban on yoga in Alabama’s public schools may be in place a little longer. The Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday deadlocked on legislation from Rep. Jeremy Gray, a Democrat, that would lift the prohibition after testimony from Christian conservatives, who claimed it would lead to proselytizing in public schools by followers of Hinduism.

“Yoga is a very big part of practicing Hindu religion,” said Becky Gerritson, a longtime conservative activist. “If this bill passes, then instructors will be able to come into classrooms as young as kindergarten and bring these children through guided imagery, which is a spiritual exercise, and it’s outside their parents view, and we just believe that this is not appropriate.”
And I’ve seen people practicing yoga on park lawns which could kill the grass so I agree (down with yoga).

If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.
~ Michelangelo

∙The closing of Main St. downtown, known as Main Street Moves, will continue to at least the beginning of next year (Jan.7, 2022), but there is talk about making this closure permanent. The street was closed off to drivers beginning in June of last year.

Next week, the downtown business association – Downtown Ventura Partners – is scheduled to present this idea to the City Council.

If it is decided to make this permanent (it would take many other approvals as well), I would hope that money would be available to tear out the asphalt streets and install fountains, landscaping and pavers or some other type of ground cover to make it a really wonderful destination.

My only concern is how this closure has affected non-restaurant businesses.

∙ The following are just recent mass murders.

A gunman killed eight people and wounded several others before apparently taking his own life in a late-night attack at a FedEx facility near the Indianapolis airport in the latest in a string of mass shootings in the United States.

The gunman who killed five people, including a prominent doctor in South Carolina was former NFL player Phillip Adams, who then killed himself.

Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and his wife, Barbara, 69, were pronounced dead at the scene along with grandchildren Adah, 9, and Noah, 5, the York County coroner’s office said. A man who had been working at the home, James Lewis, 38, from Gaston, was found shot to death outside, and a sixth person was hospitalized with “serious gunshot wounds.”

Police confirm one person was killed and five others were shot at Kent Moore Cabinets in Bryan. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was also shot in Grimes County in connection to the Bryan business shooting.

A police officer was wounded in a shooting at a high school in Knoxville, Tennessee, authorities said. Officials said the person who shot the officer, a student at Austin-East Magnet High School, died at the scene when police returned fire.

An off-duty Pentagon police officer who shot and killed two people in Maryland morning has been charged with second-degree murder, police said. David Hall Dixon, of Takoma Park, told police he thought the victims were breaking into a car. However, attorneys for one victim’s family said the car belonged to a friend who was with the two men at the time of the shooting.

Three people were killed and two people were seriously injured in a shooting at Somers House Tavern in Somers, Wisconsin, according to police.

Police said officers responded to the shooting just after 12:40 a.m. at 1548 Sheridan Road where three people were pronounced dead at the scene with two other gunshot victims being transported to local hospitals with serious injuries.

Three people have died in an “active attack” in northwest Austin.

Austin-Travis County EMS said just before noon April 18 that medics, Austin Fire Department and Austin Police Department crews were responding to the “active attack/shooter incident” in the 9600 block of Great Hills Trail near the Arboretum.

The incident marks at least the 47th (I’ve changed this amount 3-times since I started writing this)mass shooting in the United States since the Atlanta-area spa shootings on March 16. A mass shooting is usually defined as four or more people, excluding the gunman, are wounded or killed by gunfire.

A Republican said that we just need to keep guns out of the hands of bad guys. What a great idea, why didn’t anyone think of that before?

Therefore, I think gun applications should have the following two questions.

Are you a bad guy? Yes or no.

If you buy a gun, will you kill an innocent person? Yes or no.

Are you a dangerous criminal? Yes or no.

If the answer to either is yes, the applicant can’t buy a gun.

A 2019 study published in the British Medical Journal looked at gun control laws in U.S. states and compared them to gun-related deaths. The authors found: “States with more permissive gun laws and greater gun ownership had higher rates of mass shootings. The study showed a “10% increase in gun ownership was associated with an approximately 35% higher rate of mass shootings.”

The Gallup polling firm found “The data show strong public support for proposed legislative changes that would do such things as require background checks for all gun purchases, ban high-capacity ammunition magazines, require all privately owned guns to be registered with the police, and require a 30-day waiting period for all gun sales.”

The former employee who shot and killed eight people at a FedEx facility was interviewed by FBI agents last year, after his mother called police to say that her son might commit “suicide by cop.”

It’s easier to buy a gun then it is to get the help that mentally ill people need.

Nationally this year, as of April 6, the Gun Violence Archive reports there have been 11,430 gun-related deaths, including nearly 6,500 suicides. In 2020, nearly 20,000 Americans died from gunshots, the most in two decades.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, the United States had 3.9 violent gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. That’s about 100 times higher than the rate in the United Kingdom. It’s nearly 200 times higher than the rates in China, Japan and South Korea.

Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted: “The right to keep and bear arms is fundamental for preserving our liberty. The answer is not to restrict the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, the answer is to go after violent criminals and come down on them like a ton of bricks.” Almost all mass killers are law-abiding citizens, until they ain’t.

President Joe Biden stated, “Gun violence in this country is an epidemic, and it’s an international embarrassment. Too many Americans are dying every single day from gun violence. It stains our character and pierces the very soul of our nation.” Later, he tweeted, “We can, and must, do more to reduce gun violence and save lives.”

As Biden was announcing his executive actions and encouraging Congress to do something about gun violence, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee was signing a bill, opposed by many law enforcement groups, that allows most adults 21 and older to carry handguns without a background check or training.

∙ More than three million people globally have died of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, Johns Hopkins University said. With 566,224 deaths, the US has the highest number of fatalities, followed by Brazil with 368,749 and Mexico with 211,693. Tell the families of all of the people who are gone that this is a fake pandemic.

Trump appointees in the Department of Health and Human Services last year privately spoke of their efforts to block or alter scientists’ reports on the coronavirus to more closely align with then President Donald Trump’s more optimistic messages about the outbreak. Even as career government scientists worked to combat the virus, Trump appointees was attempting to change the scientists’ messages and edit their findings.

They pushed the CDC to alter reports on how bad COVID was, they muzzled Dr. Fauci, they pushed wild herd immunity theories, and they tapped pro-Trump celebs to appear in a public campaign about COVID. How many thousands of lives were lost because of these lies?