How to resolve AdBlock issue? STATE: Attorney general files amicus brief in Supreme Court against Arizona immigration law
SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Kamala Harris has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court arguing against Arizona's illegal immigration legislation.
The brief argues that decisions about who to remove from the United States and when to remove them are exclusively the prerogative of the federal government.
States may not adopt a competing policy, as Arizona has done, Harris argued.
"Although Arizona claims that the law merely assists the federal government in the enforcement of federal law, the Arizona law in fact implements a distinct state policy on removal that supplants federally mandated enforcement priorities and disregards the federal requirement that state assistance in this area proceed under federal oversight," the amicus brief states.
Attorney General Harris, joined by 10 other attorneys general, argued in a brief Monday yesterday in the U.S. Supreme Court that it is in states' interest to have a cohesive federal immigration policy. Oral arguments will be on April 25.
California has the largest undocumented immigrant population of any state, 2.5 million (6.8 percent), according to a 2011 report from the Pew Hispanic Center. California also has the largest percentage (9.7 percent) of undocumented immigrants in its labor force at 1.85 million.
California law has long provided basic protections for all California residents who comply with state law, while respecting the right of the federal government to enforce federal deportation policies.
For example, California law expressly guarantees the same protection, rights and remedies, except those prohibited by federal law, to all who have applied for employment or who have been employed.
California also allows students who are not legal residents to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities.
These laws focus on the health and welfare of California's undocumented immigrants, but keep the federal government in charge of who can stay in the country.
California was joined in this amicus brief by New York, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.
032612 AG Amicus Brief on Arizona Immigration Law- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Courthouse preliminary plans on track to go to state board in June
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Preliminary plans for the proposed new Lakeport courthouse are on schedule to go before a state board for approval in late spring.
The 50,000-square-foot, $56 million courthouse – the features of which will include four courtrooms, space for records and court-related services – will be built at 675 Lakeport Blvd., just below Vista Point. It’s funded by Senate Bill 1407.
The Lake County Superior Court's main division in Lakeport is located on the fourth floor of the Lake County Courthouse, located at 255 N. Forbes St.
Safety concerns and limited space in the court’s current location resulted in the state placing the new courthouse on a short list of critical projects.
Last year concerns arose about the building potentially blocking Vista Point’s views of Clear Lake and Mt. Konocti, which led to consideration of a new site configuration.
Recently released renderings of the building show it being designed to hug the hillside. The project team with Forell/Elsesser Engineers Inc., working with architecture firm Mark Cavagnero Associates, had to revise its design to accommodate varying soil consistencies.
The architectural renderings are just an initial look, said Theresa Ruano of the Judicial Council of California’s Administrative Office of the Courts.
A more detailed look isn’t yet ready to be released, and Ruano added, “For security reasons we don’t release detailed floor plans.”
She said the state is aiming to have the first phase of design, or preliminary plans, completed in time to go to the State Public Works Board June 8.
If approved, the project would then move into its second phase, called working drawings, Ruano explained.
At the same time, the budget process is taking place, and that will determine the project’s future, she said.
While the budget is a concern, Ruano said everything regarding the Lakeport courthouse project appears to be on track.
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Park fire burns massive acreage; Chico man arrested for causing the fire
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — A fire that began Wednesday in Chico’s Bidwell Park has grown massively over the past day, and authorities said Thursday they have arrested a Chico man they believe is responsible for causing the fire.
The Park fire was first reported just before 3 p.m. Wednesday off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park, east of Chico.
On Wednesday night the fire had been reported to be more than 6,500 acres, an estimate that was up to more than 45,000 acres by Thursday morning.
By Thursday afternoon, officials said the fire was at 71,489 acres, with containment remaining at 3%.
At around 6 p.m., Cal Fire said the fire had grown to 124,949 acres, with no increased containment.
Fire officials said Thursday that the blaze continues to move quickly, with the priority placed on protecting communities. It has moved into Tehama County and is expected to impact the Cohasset area near Chico on Thursday night.
On Thursday, the Butte County District Attorney’s Office said a 42-year-old Chico man was arrested by Cal Fire arson investigators and booked on suspicion of intentionally starting the Park fire.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said in a Thursday afternoon briefing that Ronnie Dean Stout II was arrested at 2 a.m. Thursday after his home in a mobile home park was surrounded by investigators with Cal Fire and the District Attorney’s Office authorities, who told him to come out with his hands up over a loudspeaker.
“He did and he was arrested at that time,” said Ramsey.
Stout is being held on a no-bail arrest warrant issued by a judge early Thursday and will remain in the Butte County Jail without bail until he’s arraigned on Monday afternoon. Ramsey said charges haven’t yet been filed due to the ongoing investigation, but he expects Stout to be charged with a count of arson. Ramsey said additional counts could be added at that time.
Ramsey said the evidence that led authorities to Stout was that a witness saw Stout near Alligator Hole in upper Bidwell Park. He was next to a vehicle, which turned out to belong to his mother.
The witness saw a fire start under the front left of the car, and felt Stout’s activity was strange because he was doing nothing other than watching the fire.
Ramsey said the witness saw Stout get into the vehicle and do something before getting back out and pushing the flaming vehicle down a 60-foot embankment into a gulley, where the Park fire began.
Authorities said Stout was then seen calmly leaving the area by blending in with the other citizens who were in the area and fleeing the rapidly evolving fire.
Ramsey’s office said Cal Fire arson investigators responded immediately, secured the scene, and began to search for clues to Stout’s identity.
Stout has two prior strikes, Ramsey said. The first was for a conviction in Butte County in 2001 for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.
The Megan’s Law database shows that Stout is a registered sex offender.
Ramsey said Stout’s second conviction was in 2002 in Kern County for robbery with great bodily injury.
In 2003, as a result of the convictions, Stout was sent to state prison for 20 years. “We do not know how long he spent in state prison at this time but we do know he was out and up in Upper Bidwell Park when he was arrested for a DUI in 2020,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey said the investigation is ongoing and anyone who has information or was in the
Alligator Hole area between the hours of noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday is encouraged to call Cal Fire investigations at 530-538-7888.
Evacuations and resources
The Park fire has prompted a broad swath of evacuations in Butte and Tehama counties. The evacuation areas can be seen here.
Officials continue to urge people to take evacuation orders seriously and to get out while it’s safe to do so.
Cal Fire said the Park fire displayed “dynamic fire activity overnight,” with winds remaining a factor and the temperature staying in the 80s.
The agency said three helicopters were available for night operations, and they took advantage and spent the night finding hot spots to drop water on.
Thursday saw more hot, dry weather with a steady breeze from the south again. Cal Fire said its Incident Management Team 3 was taking command of the fire on Thursday.
Resources assigned to the fire also grew by Thursday, with 1,153 personnel, six helicopters, 153 engines, 41 dozers, 10 water tenders, 40 crews and 22 other resources assigned.
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Arrest made in connection to Flora fire in Geyserville
SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. – Cal Fire said its law enforcement officers have arrested an Anderson man for causing a wildland fire near Geyserville on Wednesday.Justin Roy Jones, 44, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail in Santa Rosa at approximately 7:25 p.m. Wednesday and charged with two felony counts, Cal Fire reported.
He was arrested in connection to the cause of the 36-acre Flora Fire Wednesday off Chalk Hill Road in northern Sonoma County, authorities said.
Cal Fire arrested Jones for violations of Penal Code § 452 (c) for unlawfully and recklessly starting a fire to any structure, forestland or property, and Penal Code § 1203.2 for violating terms of his probation.
Authorities said Jones was observed driving his truck with no right front tire for over four miles, creating sparks as the truck grinded on the asphalt.
This caused three separate fires along Chalk Hill Road, threatening multiple structures and burning approximately 36 acres, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said the Flora fire was first reported at 4:39 p.m. near the 12000 block of Chalk Hill Road.
The road was closed to traffic between Spurgeon Road and Flora Ranch Road into late Wednesday evening.
The wind driven fire quickly grew to 36 acres before firefighters were able to stop its forward progress at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Cal Fire reported.
Assisting agencies on the fire include Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District, Sonoma County Fire District, Santa Rosa Fire, Healdsburg Fire, Dry Creek Rancheria Fire, Gold Ridge Fire Protection District, North Sonoma Coast Fire Protection District, South Lake County Fire Protection District and California Highway Patrol.
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