West
Adam Schiff among California Democrats ‘concerned’ about struggling Los Angeles Times' looming layoffs
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and other California Democrats want to save the struggling Los Angeles Times because “preserving democracy is contingent upon a free and robust press.”
In a letter to the paper’s ownership and union, the Democratic lawmakers said they were writing as members of Congress who represent constituents who rely on the “invaluable reporting” provided by the Los Angeles Times. The letter came after over 300 members of the Los Angeles Times Guild staged a one-day walkout last week following an announcement that the paper planned to lay off many of its journalists.
“We are concerned about reports of potential layoffs facing the LA Times newsroom and the impact this will have on all Angelenos, the availability of essential news and the strength of our democracy at large. The LA Times is an irreplaceable source for our constituents, and we commend the dedication of the journalists that have made the outlet a linchpin of information and expert opinion for our community,” they wrote.
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Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and other California Democrats want to save the struggling Los Angeles Times because “Preserving democracy is contingent upon a free and robust press.” (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Reps. Pete Aguilar, Brad Sherman, Jimmy Gomez, Judy Chu, Tony Cardenas, Ted Lieu, Nanette Barragan, Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Robert Garcia, along with Schiff, signed the letter.
“With reports of layoffs affecting 20% or more of the LA Times newsroom, we urge all parties to reach a consensus to avoid a drastic measure that would harm the outlet’s ability to report on important news in our city and nationwide. We understand the need to balance the long-term financial stability of the paper with the need to support fair and adequate compensation for journalists,” they continued.
“We understand that the Washington Post had some recent success cutting costs by offering voluntary buyouts in place of layoffs. In light of this, one possible path forward would be to consider a similar approach of voluntary buyouts for the LA Times,” the letter added.
The Times’ own entertainment reporter recently wrote that the planned cuts are designed to “offset steep financial losses that owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong and his family have absorbed since acquiring the paper nearly six years ago.”
Last week’s one-day strike was the Times’ first “union-organized work stoppage in the paper’s 142-year history,” according to entertainment reporter Meg James, who also noted that anxiety is “widespread” in the newsroom.
“The proposed layoffs will mark the third round of cuts since June, when more than 70 positions, or about 13% of the newsroom, were trimmed,” James wrote.
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A group of Democratic lawmakers said they were writing as members of Congress who represent constituents who rely on the “invaluable reporting” provided by the Los Angeles Times. (The Los Angeles Time)
The liberal lawmakers said they also understand that Guild members “have expressed the importance of seniority protections to facilitating diversity” and want more transparency about the ultimate goals of management.
“We urge the LA Times and Guild to work together to include their employees/members in the discussion of potential buyouts, empowering them to propose voluntary cost-cutting measures in a collaborative and thoughtful manner. This approach could allow the staff to evaluate their own needs and strengths, fostering a sense of agency and responsibility among the team, and leveraging their expertise on what skills and positions make the LA Times operate effectively on a daily basis,” Schiff and the other Democrats wrote.
“Additionally, we urge all parties to reach an agreement that respects the rights of employees to collectively organize and bargain, and allows for a collaborative approach to ensure the future success and stability of the newspaper,” they continued. “As we approach upcoming elections, the role of news outlets in providing accurate and unbiased information becomes even more vital. Our community relies on the newspaper to stay informed.”
SCHIFF MOCKED FOR SAYING GOP PUSHING BIDEN IMPEACHMENT WITHOUT EVIDENCE: ‘POT/KETTLE’
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., signed the letter alongside several California Democrats. ((Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images))
The Democratic lawmakers then declared, “Preserving democracy is contingent upon a free and robust press, and the LA Times has been instrumental in upholding this democratic principle.”
“We urge you to consider alternative solutions that would allow the LA Times to navigate its financial challenges without compromising the integrity of the newsroom,” they wrote to conclude the letter. “We implore all parties to find a solution that ensures the sustainability of the LA Times while preserving the invaluable role it plays in our community.”
Schiff was recently endorsed by the Times for U.S. Senate and the paper praised him for becoming a national name during the Russiagate saga as a “team player.”
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The Bridger project is a massive oil pipeline project that would come in from Alberta, Canada, into Montana at Phillips County, then go through nine counties before getting to Wyoming.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) are reviewing the project, and it could cut across private, state, and federal land.
Watch Bridger pipeline story here:
Proposed Bridger pipeline would bring crude from Canada through Montana to Wyoming
The 647-mile-long Bridger pipeline would move up to 550,000 barrels of crude oil a day.
“It’s a win for Montana. It’s a win for America,” said Yellowstone County Commissioner Mark Morse.
Morse and the Yellowstone County commissioners are among the many Montana leaders supporting the project.
Just this week, they drafted a letter to the Bureau of Land Management expressing that support.
“The energy security is again, it’s going to be on the North American continent and transporting oil via a pipeline is safer than rail or truck,” Morse said.
Commissioners also say the pipeline would be an economic boost for Yellowstone County, bringing construction jobs, supply contracts, and local spending.
“We’ll be a hub for their construction activities,” Morse said. “Supplying parts and pieces, labor.”
But there are plenty of opponents.
They say the risks are simply too high, pointing to past oil spills, including the 2015 Poplar pipeline rupture that sent 30,000 gallons of crude oil into the Yellowstone River near Glendive and a diesel spill of 45,000 gallons near Sussex, Wyoming.
“If that crossing has spilled into the Missouri River, it eventually would make it to that intake,” said Lance Fourstar, co-director of the American Indian Movement Montana. “Highly carcinogenic tar sand bitumen, so we already know it’s highly carcinogenic.”
Fourstar also has concerns about sacred tribal lands.
“The key point of concern is the sovereignty and treaty rights,” Fourstar said. “This project crosses lands, that with treaty reserved rights, hunting, fishing, and gathering.”
The Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC) says the pipeline would originate in Alberta with what it calls environmentally destructive fuel sources.
“It’s an environmental disaster waiting to happen in a state that gets a lot of revenue from fishing and agriculture. A majority of the route crosses through Montana, putting land and water at risk,” MEIC spokesperson Shannon James said in a telephone interview with MTN News.
But for Yellowstone County leaders like Morse, it’s a win-win, not just for Yellowstone County, but also the country.
“I just see energy independence for America,” Morse said.
MTN News contacted True Companies in Casper, which proposed the Bridger pipeline.
True and BLM were not available for interviews.
After getting shut out by Liberty on Tuesday, the Desert Oasis baseball team bounced back with an 11-4 victory Wednesday over the visiting Patriots.
With the win in the regular-season finale, the Diamondbacks secured the Desert League’s No. 2 seed in the 5A Southern Region playoffs, which start next week.
“All year, they’ve responded after we’ve lost games,” Desert Oasis coach Paul Buboltz said. “This is an experienced group of guys that are hungry, and they knew what was at stake today.”
The Diamondbacks (21-9-1, 6-4 Desert) didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard Wednesday. After Liberty (15-16, 5-5 Desert) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Desert Oasis came out swinging.
Senior third baseman Brody Griffith got it started by driving home sophomore second baseman Jayson Marquez to tie the game. Then junior left fielder Ryan Roshak launched a fastball over the wall in right-center for a three-run homer, giving the Diamondbacks a lead they didn’t relinquish.
“That early momentum meant everything for the team,” Roshak said. “It takes a lot of pressure off the guys.”
The Desert Oasis bats made life easier for senior pitcher Crue Smith. After getting into early trouble, Smith kept a potent Patriots lineup at bay for most of the afternoon. The right-hander yielded four runs — one earned — on five hits and two walks while striking out three in 5⅓ innings.
“I think this win will boost our confidence and give us more motivation going into the playoffs,” Smith said.
The Diamondbacks continued to tack on early runs — three in the second inning, off a bases-loaded walk to senior center fielder Aidan Smith and two more on a single from senior designated hitter Ashton Kidd — to go up 7-1.
Liberty crept back into the game, thanks to solid relief pitching from senior Cayden Rodgers-Ramirez. The Patriots added two runs in the sixth, off RBI singles from Rodgers-Ramirez and senior Austin Pepe, to get within 8-4. But the Diamondbacks answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Marquez went 2-for-4, driving in a run and scoring twice. Desert Oasis batters drew seven walks, including two each by senior catcher Landon O’Dell and freshman right fielder Sebastian Mansell.
Junior center fielder Nevan Chandler led Liberty’s offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
New Mexico
14 indicted in alleged Permian Basin crude‑oil theft scheme spanning New Mexico and Texas, prosecutors say
A federal grand jury in Lubbock has indicted 14 people accused of stealing crude oil in eastern New Mexico and hauling it into Texas to resell at cut‑rate prices.
Prosecutors say the scheme targeted the Permian Basin’s vast production network, the oil‑rich region spanning southeastern New Mexico and West Texas that covers more than 86,000 square miles and accounts for the majority of U.S. crude oil production.
All 14 defendants are charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines, and several also face counts of interstate transportation and receipt, possession, or sale of stolen property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
Indictment outlines alleged operation
Returned April 8, the indictment alleges the group stole crude oil in eastern New Mexico, some stored on U.S. government-leased land, and resold it to co‑conspirators at prices below the standard U.S. market benchmark.
Prosecutors say the conspirators transported the stolen oil into Texas for resale at a profit, knowing it was stolen.
Texas, New Mexico defendants identified by prosecutors
Texas defendants are James Darrell Reid, 65, and Randell Wayne Reid, 41, owners of Texas-based Reidco Enterprises and both of Electra – about 25 miles northwest of Wichita Falls and 115 miles from Fort Worth – along with Christopher Frederick Harris, 22, of Seminole, about 80 miles west of Midland.
The remaining 11 defendants are from Lovington, a southeastern New Mexico community of about 11,690 people, roughly 20 miles west of the Texas state line and squarely inside the Permian Basin.
They include:
- Louis George Edgett, 68;
- Brenden Floyd Strickland, 25;
- Sixto Herrera-Estebane, 43;
- Gyardo Gonzalez, 47;
- Jesus Martin Hernandez-Borja, 51;
- Diana Marquez Rojo, 45;
- Jose Luis Rojo, 49;
- Jose Mario Rivas-Mendoza, 37;
- Miguel A. Soto, 41;
- Tavares Montrail Cole, 48; and
- Danny Dale Brown Jr., 42.
Potential penalties outlined by DOJ
According to prosecutors, the defendants face up to five years in prison for conspiracy and up to 10 years per count for interstate transportation, possession, or sale of stolen property.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Land Management, the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation Division, and sheriff’s offices in Lea and Eddy counties in New Mexico.
CBS News Texas will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
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