Field Poll: Gay Marriage Ban Losing Right Now
This week, the Field Poll was released showing that Proposition 8, the Ban on Gay Marriage was…
Cal-OSHA Again Shuts Down Farm Labor Contractor Responsible for 17-Year-Old Worker’s Death
A few weeks ago, the Vanguard reported on the sad story of a 17-year-old farm worker who died of heat stroke after working for hours in the heat without adequate water, rest, or shade. (Click here to listen to our interview with Marilyn Calderon of the United Farm Workers).
On Friday, the Sacramento Bee reported on an update to the situation. The Merced Farm Labor had been allowed to reopen and send its laborers back to the fields as of June 26 after demonstrating to CAL-OSHA that it met all the requirements for heat protection for its workers. The company had been shut down because it was not requiring its employees to receive heat training.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Farm Worker Who Died Due to Heat Stroke
In one of the worst human rights abuses I have heard of in recent memory in this area, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed yesterday at the Merced Superior Court for the death of 17 year old Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez. The lawsuit is for wrongful death, general negligence and premises liability.
Maria Isabel, a 17-year-old farm worker from Oaxaca collapsed on May 14 while working for a Merced Farm Laborer in a vineyard owned by West Coast Grape Farming outside of Stockton. Maria Isabel, who was two-months pregnant, had worked nine hours in temperatures that reached 100 degrees inside the vineyard. Her body temperature was 108.4 degrees when she was finally taken to a hospital nearly two hours after collapsing. She died on May 16.
Commentary: Redistricting is the focus again
We usually do not venture far outside of Yolo County and local Assembly and Senate races here,…
Letters to the Editor
The Vanguard is always willing to print letters to the editor. They should be submitted here. Opinions…
California Secretary of State Debra Bowen Comes to UC Davis to Discuss Voting
Last night, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen made a last minute appearance at UC Davis in…
Local Races Appear to Be On as Proposition 93 Losing Badly in the Polls
The Field Poll released on Monday shows that Proposition 93 is losing 46% to 33% with another…
Commentary: Proposition 93 Will Have a Huge Impact on Local Races
As difficult as it is to believe, the California Primary Election is only three weeks away. In…
Proposition 92 Divides Teaching Community and Sets Stage for Bloody Battle in February
A measure that would cut fees for Community College students and guarantee funding levels for community colleges…
Former Assemblyman Richman’s Attack on Public Employee Pensions
Former Republican Assemblyman Keith Richman is at it again. Richman is on the attack and attempting to…
Commentary: Gay Homecoming Court and the Meaning of Diversity
This week I got an interesting email from New York with a link to the Sacramento Bee…
The Problem of Paid Canvassers in the Referendum and Initiative Process
There is a thin line with paid canvassers between aggressive salesmanship and outright browbeating. Actually, I would…
Commentary: Labor Day 2007 Thoughts
Labor Day dates back to the 1880s and was originally founded as a means to give a…
Partisan Republican Attempt to Alter California’s Electoral College Distribution
Guest Commentary by Bill Ritter Following the 2000 presidential election in which Al Gore received more than…
Local Leaders and Activists Push for Health Care in Sacramento
On Thursday on the steps of the Capitol a coalition of labor unions and community organizations who…
Impact of Proposition 209 Continues to Hamper Minority Students and Educators, Locally and Statewide
In 1996, California voted to support Proposition 209, a measure that would end state mandated Affirmative Action…
Commentary: Beware of Reforms Wrapped As Sheep’s Clothing
In 2000, Californians weary of the ever-rising cost of campaigns and perceived influence of big money passed…
Anti-Gay Attitudes Persist Despite Progress In Society
Watching the recent events in Woodland unfold was a reminder both of how far we have come…
Wrong Solution To Term Limits
Let me make this clear–the Term Limits law passed in California is one of the worst initiatives…
California Supreme Court Rules Advise of Attorney No Defense Against Conflict-of-Interest Charges
In a decision that is likely to have strong reverberations in Davis, the California Supreme Court ruled this week that public officials may be guilty of violations of conflict of interest laws even when a city attorney advises them that their actions are legal.
According to a February 9, 2007 Los Angeles Times article:
“A public official is not required to know that his conduct is unlawful” to be found to have broken the law, Justice Carol A. Corrigan wrote for the court. “Therefore, reliance on advice of counsel as to the lawfulness of the conduct is irrelevant.”
