California
California votes to keep forced prison labor
On November 5, Californians rejected a ballot measure banning forced prison labor, voting instead to keep the practice legal in state prisons.
Proposition 6, which moved to eliminate the “constitutional provision allowing involuntary servitude for incarcerated persons,” is projected to fail, the Associated Press reported. With 72 percent of the vote counted, 54 percent of California voters said no to the ballot measure.
The Golden State’s constitution has what some describe as a “slavery loophole.” While slavery is illegal in the state, California’s 199,000 prisoners can be required to work jobs that earn them less than $1 an hour. Prisoners who decline these jobs can face severe consequences, such as delays in their parole eligibility, Politico reported.
One of the critical jobs that prisoners can be required to work is fighting wildfires. While salaried firefighters in California receive $74,000 on average plus benefits, prisoners receive $2 a day and an extra $1 an hour when fighting active fires.
Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a grassroots organization working to end mass incarceration in California, led the push to remove the “slavery loophole” from the state’s constitution.
Esteban Nunez, ARC’s chief strategy consultant and lobbyist, spoke with Newsweek about the result, saying voters might not have understood the magnitude of the proposition because of its language.
“One of the most significant challenges was the ballot title and summary itself, which used the term ‘involuntary servitude’ without referencing ‘slavery,’” Nunez said.
“Despite our advocacy for including ‘slavery’ in the ballot language to capture the full moral weight of the issue, the official language used only ‘involuntary servitude.’ This choice likely diluted the urgency of the measure for voters who may not fully understand the historical context and human rights implications of forced labor in prisons,” he continued.
Nunez added that ARC was working to convince people that “even within a carceral system, forced labor is inhumane, counterproductive, and fundamentally wrong.”
He said: “The focus here needs to be on the benefits of rehabilitation over forced labor. Studies and real-life examples show that when incarcerated individuals have the opportunity to pursue education, therapy, and voluntary work, they are far more likely to re-enter society as law-abiding, contributing citizens.
“Forced labor, however, disrupts these opportunities, perpetuating cycles of harm, poverty, and recidivism.”
Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
Nevadans also had the chance to vote on an antislavery ballot measure on Tuesday, and unlike their neighbors to the West, voters in the Silver State chose to abolish slavery in their prison system.
Nevada’s Question 4, which moved to repeal the state’s provision allowing slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime, passed with 61 percent of the vote, the Associated Press reported.
Alabama and Tennessee also recently removed provisions for forced prison labor from their state constitutions.
Proposition 6 was not the only prison-related measure on California’s ballot. Californians also voted on Proposition 36, which moved to “increase penalties for repeated theft offenses and certain drug crimes, including some involving fentanyl,” and “create a drug court treatment program for people with multiple drug possession convictions.”
As Newsweek previously reported, the “tough on crime” measure received support from Californians who wanted a stronger response from their government on street drug use and what they saw as a growing homelessness problem, as Proposition 36 would enable law enforcement to act more decisively against repeat offenders and drug-related offenses.
Anne Marie Schubert, a co-chair of the coalition supporting the measure, said, “This is a resounding message that Californians are ready to have safer communities.”
Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about this article? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
California
UPDATE: Crash at California/Dakota
10:06 PM: Police are arriving at the scene of a two-vehicle crash reported at California/Dakota, with at least two people hurt.
11:06 PM: Police have just reopened the street. We went to the scene after a report that one vehicle had ended up on the lawn of a church – First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – is on the southwest corner – but all we could see was one vehicle on the sidewalk. We’re following up with SFD regarding the people who were hurt.
California
Southern California’s wild weather is not over. Wind gusts of up to 65 mph predicted
Last week’s rain won’t be the end of Southern California’s wild weather as strong wind gusts are forecast through the area until Tuesday.
Gusts of up to 65 mph are expected in mountains and valleys throughout the region, with the National Weather Service warning that power outages were possible and that residents should keep an eye out for downed trees and power lines.
“Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” according to an alert issued by the National Weather Service.
The recent storms that drenched Southern California and soaked the soil could also “increase the likelihood of damage” caused by downed trees and power lines, the agency noted.
The National Weather Service issued the advisory Sunday, warning that the western Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains and the Interstate 5 and Highway 14 corridors could see strong winds starting Sunday evening, lasting until Monday afternoon.
Winds between 20 to 30 mph are expected in those areas until Sunday evening. Wind speeds are then predicted to pick up until Monday afternoon, with northeast winds of up to 40 mph and gusts of up to 65 mph.
A similar alert for strong gusts was issued by the weather service for the San Bernardino and Riverside County mountain and valley regions, as well as the Santa Ana Mountains, where strong winds could linger until Tuesday afternoon.
Northeast winds with speeds of up to 30 mph are expected to hit the area starting this evening, with gusts of up to 60 mph.
The high wind alerts come after the region was drenched for days, causing debris flows that washed through homes in Wrightwood. At least three people were killed in storm-related deaths, including a man in San Diego who was struck by a falling tree. In Boyle Heights, a rare tornado touched down on Christmas morning.
More rain is expected this week, including the possibility of rain on New Year’s Day.
California
Gas line explosion rocks California: Video shows debris clouds filling the sky; residents report ‘jet-like’ roar – The Times of India
A major natural gas pipeline explosion in northern Los Angeles County on Saturday prompted authorities to issue shelter-in-place orders and temporarily shut down a key Southern California highway, officials said.The incident occurred around 4.20 pm local time near Ridge Route Road and Pine Crest Place in Castaic, close to the southbound lanes of Interstate 5, a critical route linking Southern and Northern California. The damaged pipeline is a 34-inch transmission gas line, located just east of the freeway.
Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Brian Kight said emergency crews received multiple calls reporting the gas leak. While residents described loud noises, Kight stressed that “there were no reports of any explosions from the leak and no reported injuries,” the Los Angeles Times reported.Videos shared on social media showed orange plumes rising from a hillside, which appeared to have partially collapsed, with debris clouds filling the sky.Several residents said they heard loud booms, while NBC 7 San Diego reported that people across the Santa Clarita Valley felt their homes shake. One witness described a “strong sulfur smell and a loud noise resembling a jet engine,” the outlet added.At L.A. County Fire Department Station 149, located about a mile away, Kight said he could smell gas from “20 minutes out.” The Los Angeles City Fire Department also received reports of a strong rotten egg smell from residents as far away as the north San Fernando Valley.In response, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) closed all lanes of Interstate 5 at 5.12 pm, diverting northbound traffic to State Route 126 and southbound vehicles to State Route 138. Traffic came to a near standstill for miles, leaving motorists stranded for hours, the Los Angeles Times reported.A shelter-in-place order was issued at 5.40 pm that covered much of Castaic. Authorities advised residents to close doors and windows, shut off vents, and turn off HVAC systems.By 6 pm, the gas company had shut off both sides of the ruptured line, though firefighters and a hazardous materials task force continued monitoring a residual leak. The CHP announced shortly before 9 pm that Interstate 5 had reopened.The cause of the rupture remains under investigation. While officials said it is unclear what triggered the incident, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies told CBS Los Angeles that it was possibly caused by “a mudslide.”More details awaited.
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