<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> residents and businesses have been asked to cut down on energy use Wednesday as high temperatures affect large swaths of the state. 
The California Independent System Operator issued a Flex <a href="https://www.flexalert.org/news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alert</a> across the entire state, asking Californians to limit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy</a> use between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Areas of California are <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/17/us/california-heat-power-alert/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expected</a> to surpass 100 degrees. 
&#8220;With above-normal temperatures in the forecast across much of the state tomorrow, the power grid operator is expecting an increase in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use, and is calling for voluntary conservation steps to help balance supply and demand,” California ISO reportedly <a href="https://abc7.com/flex-alert-california-heat-temperatures/12131630/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. 
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The California ISO has issued a statewide <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlexAlert?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlexAlert</a> for Wednesday, August 17, from 4-9 p.m. due to excessive heat and high energy demand. Consumers are urged to reduce energy use to protect grid reliability. Read the news release: <a href="https://t.co/AKKsHGVgSL">https://t.co/AKKsHGVgSL</a> <a href="https://t.co/EPwe9oBMJj">pic.twitter.com/EPwe9oBMJj</a>
&mdash; California ISO (@California_ISO) <a href="https://twitter.com/California_ISO/status/1559683667852763142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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A news release <a href="http://www.caiso.com/Documents/California-ISO-issues-Flex-Alert-for-tomorrow-Aug-17.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> on Tuesday said that the request for conservation is “due to predicted high temperatures pushing up energy demand and tightening available power supplies.” 
The release added that it is “urg[ing]” consumers to conserve power, specifically during the later hours of the afternoon and early hours of the night because that is “when the grid is most stressed due to higher demand and less solar energy.” Cutting back on power use during a Flex Alert can assist in balancing the grid when supply is limited, and it can avoid more drastic emergency steps, like power <a href="https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/california-issues-flex-alert-calls-for-energy-conservation-to-prevent-outages/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outages</a>, the statement noted. 
The ISO suggested that Californians should set their thermostats to 72 degrees before 4 p.m., and use that time to run main appliances like washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, and stoves. They should also shut the blinds to block light and heat from the windows. 
During the Flex Alert time period, Californians were told to set their thermostats to 78 degrees or more, “if health permits,” not use major appliances and shut off all lights that are not needed. 
The electric grid has been an issue for California in recent years. In August of 2020, rolling outages plagued the state as the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/18/heat-wave-still-threatens-california-power-grid-with-outages.html">grid</a> couldn’t keep up with high temperatures. The ISO issued outages during the intense heat wave. 
Democratic Governor of California Gavin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newsom</a> requested a report on the cause of the outages, which was issued early last year. 
“This final report confirms our initial findings and reaffirms that our agencies are taking the right actions to update processes and strengthen California’s grid in the face of this crisis and worsening climate impacts,” California Energy Commission (CEC) Chair David Hochschild <a href="https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2021-01/caiso-cpuc-cec-issue-final-report-causes-august-2020-rotating-outages" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We have more to do to ensure long-term reliability but despite challenges, we remain relentlessly committed to transitioning our state to a clean energy future for all.”
California’s rapid shift to green energy has impacted power supplies in the state and left the stability of the electric grid in question. Newsom recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newsom-proposes-plan-to-keep-nuclear-plant-open-legislature-has-weeks-to-decide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> a proposal to keep the state’s <a href="https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-04-29/california-promised-to-close-its-last-nuclear-plant-now-newsom-is-reconsidering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nuclear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear</a> plant open as the state transitions to clean energy and is in dire need of power.

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California Residents, Businesses Asked To Cut Down On Power Use Wednesday

California Residents, Businesses Asked To Cut Down On Energy Use Wednesday In California ISO Flex Alert

California

Energy

Environmentalism

Gavin Newsom

Nuclear

RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit whose model was developed by two former debt collectors, has absolved <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-church-pays-millions-medical-debt-6500-james-barrett">medical debt</a> for over 3.9 million Americans, totaling more than $7 billion.
The nonprofit, through donations, purchases medical debt by the bundle, taking about $1 to retire every $100. Those with the now-absolved debt receive a letter letting them know, and, according to RIP Medical Debt, suffer no tax consequences.
&#8220;We buy debt in bundles, millions of dollars at a time at a fraction of the original cost. This means your donation relieves about 100x its value in medical debt,&#8221; the group&#8217;s website <a href="https://ripmedicaldebt.org/about/">says</a>. &#8220;People across the country receive letters that their debt has been erased. They have no tax consequences or penalties to consider. Just like that, they’re free of medical debt.&#8221;
Jerry Ashton, who modeled the nonprofit, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GetNesIUrDQ">said</a> in a 2019 video that he was &#8220;reformed&#8221; into a &#8220;predatory giver.&#8221;
&#8220;As a bill collector collecting millions of dollars in medical-associated bills in my career, now all of a sudden I&#8217;m reformed: I&#8217;m a predatory giver,&#8221; he said.
The nonprofit&#8217;s CEO Allison Sesso said Ashton and Craig Antico, another former debt collector, &#8220;would have conversations with people on the phone, and they would understand and have better insights into the struggles people were challenged with.&#8221;
According to a <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/08/15/1093769295/this-groups-wiped-out-6-7-billion-in-medical-debt-and-its-just-getting-started">report</a> from NPR, the group chooses recipients randomly but limits their services to those who earn at twice the poverty level and below. But, now, with the economy in free-fall, random recipients include anyone who makes as much as four times the federal poverty level.
The debt bought up in bundles depends on what&#8217;s available for purchase, Sesso told NPR. &#8220;Nobody can come to us, raise their hand, and say, &#8216;I&#8217;d like you to relieve my debt,'&#8221; she emphasized.
“Thank you to everyone that had anything to do with taking care of this bill,&#8221; one anonymous recipient said, according to RIP Medical Debt&#8217;s <a href="https://ripmedicaldebt.org/stories/anonymous-ma-36623/">site</a>. &#8220;It is a blessing and a relief to know that it’s not hanging over my head. I had never ever heard of this program, but I’m grateful and appreciative of the help they provide.”
“Thank you for the help. My husband and I live on one income. My being diabetic puts a financial strain on us,&#8221; another person said.
Notably, RIP Medical Debt in 2019 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-church-will-help-cancel-over-5-million-in-medical-debt-for-struggling-families-this-christmas">partnered</a> with a Christian Assembly Church in Eagle Rock, California, to help relieve a stunning $5.3 million in medical debt around Christmas time.
“For many people in our communities, medical debt is a crushing weight during a most challenging time in their life,” co-pastor of the church Tom Hughes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-church-will-help-cancel-over-5-million-in-medical-debt-for-struggling-families-this-christmas">said</a> at the time. “Medical debt is one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcy and contributes significantly to the likelihood of a person experiencing homelessness.”
“We mapped out all of the active households that call Christian Assembly Church home, and we chose the top 28 neighborhoods. This gift is really impacting the poor in the 28 neighborhoods where we live,” he continued. “Because of the generosity of the people of Christian Assembly Church, we are able to make this gift possible. All of this is being done in Jesus’ name because of the generosity of our God and the compassion and mercy He has shown us.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-church-will-help-cancel-over-5-million-in-medical-debt-for-struggling-families-this-christmas">This Church Will Help Cancel Over $5 Million In Medical Debt For Struggling Families This Christmas</a>

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A Nonprofit Has Cleared 3.9 Million People Of Medical Debt, Totaling Billions Of Dollars

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> court has overturned $300,000 in fines against a church accused of non-compliance over <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/covid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID</a> during the state&#8217;s pandemic shutdown.
Judge Peter Kirwan ruled in favor of Calvary Chapel San Jose in the 36-page <a href="https://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/H048708.PDF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruling</a> on Monday.
In October 2020, the plaintiffs, including the People of the State of California, the County of Santa Clara, and County Health Officer Sara Cody, alleged that Calvary Chapel had failed to comply with the state&#8217;s orders. The violations included failure to submit a plan for risk reduction and holding indoor religious services during 2020.
According to the ruling, a temporary restraining order was implemented in November 2020 that was later rescinded.
The congregation also made headlines for holding an indoor Christmas Eve service in 2020 in direct violation of county and state public health orders.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappeningNow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HappeningNow</a>: People are entering Calvary Chapel San Jose for an indoor Christmas Eve Candlelight Service that starts at 5pm — a direct violation of the county and state public health order. <a href="https://t.co/84ubBKADHF">pic.twitter.com/84ubBKADHF</a>
&mdash; Stephanie Sierra (@StephanieABC7) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephanieABC7/status/1342267459886141440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I respect the judge and I respect what the law says,&#8221; Pastor Mike McClure said following a December <a href="https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2021/december/a-david-and-goliath-scenario-ca-church-still-in-court-after-county-slapped-them-with-2-8m-in-covid-fines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing</a>. &#8220;But there&#8217;s a bigger law. I have to get told, you follow God or you follow man. I have to follow what God&#8217;s word says.&#8221;
The case became a rallying point for Californians upset over the state&#8217;s government overreach during the pandemic. During the 2021 recall election against Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, Republican challenger Larry Elder held an event at the church&#8217;s location.
&#8220;A third of all small businesses in California are now gone forever because [Newsom] ignored science,&#8221; Elder said during the event, <a href="https://www.ktvu.com/news/gop-candidate-in-newsom-recall-election-holds-rally-at-san-joses-calvary-chapel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> KTVU-TV.
Monday&#8217;s ruling reversed and annulled all three charges against the congregation, noting that the parties shall cover their own legal costs.
California Republican candidate for Senate Mark Meuser celebrated the ruling in a Twitter post.
&#8220;Today a CA Appeals court overturned over $300k in sanctions issued against Calvery [sic] Chapel San Jose for not shutting down during COVID,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;The government could not shut them down because of 1st Amendment, so a judge could not sanction for refusing to obey the order.&#8221;
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Breaking News:
Today a CA Appeals court overturned over $300k in sanctions issued against Calvery Chapel San Jose for not shutting down during COVID. 
The government could not shut them down because of 1st Amendment, so a judge could not sanction for refusing to obey the order.
&mdash; Mark Meuser for U.S. Senate (@MarkMeuser) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkMeuser/status/1559382251774717953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Mariah Gondeiro, an attorney for Advocates for Faith and Freedom, which represented the case, said the church&#8217;s pastor was unfairly treated in the case.
“Pastor McClure is the poster child of COVID-19 abuse. Not only has Santa Clara County fined the church over 2.8 million dollars for violating arbitrary COVID-19 orders, but they have also sought to hold the church and McClure in contempt twice, and then sent threatening letters to the church’s bank. This is government abuse at its finest,” <a href="https://faith-freedom.com/cases-all/presscalvary-chapel-san-jose-and-pastor-mike-mcclure-sue-santa-clara-county-counsel-james-williams-for-unlawful-retaliation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Gondeiro.
The organization <a href="https://faith-freedom.com/cases-all/presscalvary-chapel-san-jose-and-pastor-mike-mcclure-sue-santa-clara-county-counsel-james-williams-for-unlawful-retaliation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that Santa Clara County was &#8220;the first county to issue a shelter-in-place order,&#8221; and has implemented an aggressive fine system. The county sought $2.87 million in COVID fines from the church, even though the Supreme Court has admonished California five times and highlighted that the orders as applied to churches were in violation of the First Amendment.

Man hand knocking a wooden judge gavel, law and auction concept.

California Appeals Court Overturns $300K In Fines Against Church Over COVID Non-Compliance

California Appeals Court Overturns $300K Fines Over COVID Non-Compliance

Berkeley, California

Churches

Court

COVID-19

Pandemic

Religion

Democratic Governor of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-legislature-passes-newsoms-new-energy-policy-that-could-allow-easier-funding-for-fossil-fuels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gavin Newsom</a> is proposing an extension of the Diablo Canyon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nuclear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear</a> plant after it was set to completely close by 2025.
The California state legislature now has a few weeks to consider the plan. The session is set to end at the end of this month, meaning unless a special session is called afterwards, the lawmakers must decide soon.
The governor’s proposal involves a possible forgivable loan for PG&amp;E, the company that runs the plant, for as much as $1.4 billion and would need state agencies to take action soon in order to allow the reactors to keep up production, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-legislature-gavin-newsom-climate-and-environment-4968ee9da7fd1d10ad67bfdf03950873" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>. 
A <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/22131280/diablo-canyon-proposal.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft</a> of the bill was <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-gov-gavin-newsom-looks-extend-life-states-last-operating-nuclear-power-plant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secured</a> on August 11 before a California Energy Commission meeting on the state’s power requirements and how the nuclear plant could play a part in keeping up the power. The nuclear plant <a href="https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article264462566.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creates</a> almost 9% of the state’s power, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. 
The proposal <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/22131280/diablo-canyon-proposal.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> that its prolonged production for five to ten years longer than 2025 is “critical to ensure statewide energy system reliability and to minimize the emissions of greenhouse gasses while additional renewable energy resources come online, until those new renewable energy resources are adequate to meet demand.”
The plant would need to be <a href="https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article264462566.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relicensed</a> with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which can take a long time, but the draft bill cuts some red tape and allows for the extension to not be held liable to the California Environmental Quality Act. It also bans any new environmental analysis by the  California Coastal Commission.
The draft proposal also allows PG&amp;E to be free from following state water laws until October 2035, and prolongs its permit until that time, as well. It will be charged a &#8220;mitigation fee&#8221; of $10 per million gallons of ocean water is utilized, starting in 2024, with a 3% increase each following year. It already assumes that it will need to pay around $38 million of mitigation fees for 2015 through 2025, per the state water board.
Newsom has been open about his support for potentially keeping the plant up as the energy grid in California continues to be a concern. In August of 2020, there were rolling blackouts caused by high temperatures and a grid that wasn’t able to sustain the demand. Newsom has pressed PG&amp;E to find ways to stay open, stating that the nuclear energy is necessary as California attempts to prioritize green energy. 
“The governor has been clear for months about the potential need to extend the life of Diablo Canyon,” Newsom spokesman Anthony York told the AP. He noted that the governor has discussed the necessity to keep all options open to continue to have reliable energy and that “this proposal reflects the continued need to keep that flexibility.”
Last month, PG&amp;E CEO Patricia “Patti” Poppe reportedly told investors during a call that a measure would need to be enacted by September in order for the plant to stop the process of closing down.
PG&amp;E is examining the potential situation of staying open past 2025, while still making plans to shut down and break up the plant “unless those actions are superseded by new state policies,” PG&amp;E spokesperson Suzanne Hosn told the AP in a statement.
&#8220;PG&amp;E is committed to California’s clean energy future, and as a regulated utility, we are required to follow the energy policies of the state. We understand state leaders’ discussions to potentially extend operations at [Diablo Canyon Power Plant] are progressing,&#8221; Hosn told The Daily Wire in an emailed statement. &#8220;We are proud of the role that [Diablo Canyon Power Plant] plays in our state, and we stand ready to support should there be a change in state policy, to help ensure grid reliability for our customers and all Californians at the lowest possible cost.&#8221;
Environmental groups are not in favor of the plan, saying it is a “dangerous” betrayal of the agreement made in 2016. 
“Legislators should reject it out of hand,” Friends of the Earth <a href="https://foe.org/news/newsoms-push-to-reopen-diablo-canyon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement, adding, “The State of California would loan PG&amp;E up to $1.4 billion to cover costs of extending Diablo Canyon’s operating life, with all of the loan potentially ‘forgivable,’ meaning it may never be returned to California taxpayers.”
Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) has been pushing to keep the plant up and running. 
“The soonest any offshore wind power is going to be put to use in the grid is probably 2030, from what I’ve been told,” he told the Tribune. “So we’ve got a real gap from 2025 to 2030. If you could extend Diablo to help meet some of that gap, then you’re displacing mostly natural gas power.”
 “The reality is, when they made that decision in 2016, we assumed we’d be a certain place with renewables and storage, and we’re just not there,” he noted.

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Newsom Proposes Plan to Keep Nuclear Plant Open, Legislature Has Weeks To Decide

Governor Of California Gavin Newsom Proposes Plan to Keep Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Open

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-actress-anne-heche-had-drugs-in-system-during-fiery-crash-report">Anne Heche</a> was working on a movie about sex trafficking before her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/condition-of-actress-anne-heche-far-worse-than-previous-reports">fiery car crash</a> on August 5, which ultimately <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anne-heche-award-winning-actress-of-another-world-dead-at-53">took her life</a>.
Her family <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anne-heche-award-winning-actress-of-another-world-dead-at-53">confirmed</a> Friday that Heche died from injuries related to the crash. She was 53 years old.
Before the accident, Heche was working on &#8220;Girl in Room 13,&#8221; playing the mother of a sex trafficking victim.
The Lifetime Network film is continuing its rollout, and the movie is set for release in September.
The award-winning actress was supposed to appear on a Television Critics Association panel for &#8220;Girl in Room 13,&#8221; but at the time was in critical condition from the accident.
“As many of you know, Anne remains in critical condition. And all of us here at Lifetime are deeply concerned for her and everyone affected,” said Amy Winter, executive VP and head of programming, IndieWire <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2022/08/anne-heche-movie-girl-in-room-13-lifetime-1234750890/">reported</a>. “We hope that her friends and family stay strong during this difficult time. You know just as much as we do and we ask that you kindly refrain from inquiring about her health status.”
“This project is important to … each and every one of us,&#8221; Winter continued. &#8220;We all started to make a film that would bring attention to the appalling issue of human sex trafficking. We hope that this film moves you and that you are just as inspired as Anne was to help us with our with our mission to stop violence against women.”
The film&#8217;s director Elisabeth Rohm echoed the same at the conference.
“We’re all so dedicated to the cause, stopping violence against women and I again thank Lifetime’s so much for creating this platform. All of us, especially Larissa [Dias] who played this victim, are committed to that cause,” Rohm <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2022/08/anne-heche-movie-girl-in-room-13-lifetime-1234750890/">said</a>. “We talked about it — every single one of us — that this was our mission. And although [Anne] is deeply missed, right now, I will say the film is finished and she did a phenomenal performance, a tour de force much like Larissa.”
Heche reportedly crashed into a garage of an apartment complex on August 5 before backing up, speeding off, and eventually crashing into the Los Angeles home.
In a video obtained by TMZ, Heche’s blue Mini Cooper is seen near the garage, and it seems the actress is speaking to residents of the complex. A male voice repeatedly asks Heche to get out of the car, and the actress responds, “no, sir,” the video suggests. The vehicle in the video then backs up and speeds off.
Video from a home security camera shows the Mini Cooper moving at high speeds down a street before crashing into the two-story home.
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EXCLUSIVE: Video shows the vehicle owned by actress Anne Heche speeding down a Mar Vista street moments before crashing into a home and sparking a fire. The story on <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBSLA</a> 5pm. <a href="https://t.co/1H93z5aVx7">pic.twitter.com/1H93z5aVx7</a>
&mdash; Rachel Kim (@CBSLARachel) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSLARachel/status/1555698048449122305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.lafd.org/alert/knockdown-structure-fire-08052022-inc0707">According</a> to a press release from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the “Six Days Seven Nights” actress barreled into a 738-square-foot, two-story home “causing structural compromise and erupting in heavy fire prior to LAFD arrival.”
It took 59 firefighters 65 minutes to “access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure, and rescue one female adult found within the vehicle, who has been taken to an area hospital by LAFD Paramedics in critical condition,” the press release added. “No other injuries reported.”
Authorities confirmed on Thursday that narcotics were found in the actress’ system.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-details-emerge-in-actress-anne-heches-fiery-crash-into-two-story-home">Shocking Details Emerge In Actress Anne Heche’s Fiery Crash Into Two-Story Home</a>

Anne-Heche-2

Anne Heche Was Working On Sex Trafficking Film Before Death

Car Crash

Entertainment

Los Angeles

The lawyer for a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california">California</a> dermatologist accused of poisoning her husband with drain cleaner said this week that the claims made by the husband are &#8220;defamatory.&#8221;
In an interview with <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/attorney-explains-why-the-irvine-doctor-accused-of-poisoning-her-husband-poured-drano-into-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS Los Angeles</a> Wednesday, David Wohl, the attorney for Dr. Yue &#8220;Emily&#8221; Yu, said that while Yu was using Drano drain cleaner in the kitchen, she was not using it in an attempt to poison him. Wohl said that the allegations made by Yu&#8217;s husband, Dr. Jack Chen, are &#8220;absurd&#8221; and &#8220;defamatory,&#8221; and part of a &#8220;desparate&#8221; ploy to retain custody of their children as part of a divorce.
&#8220;The idea that my client, who is a 45-year-old well-respected dermatologist in Orange County, would destroy her life, destroy her children&#8217;s life, and try to kill her husband is just completely absurd and untrue — and for that matter defamatory,&#8221; Wohl told CBS Los Angeles.
Wohl said that the family was dealing with plumbing issues, and any time his client was pouring the drain cleaner into a cup, it was to deal with those plumbing issues, and she poured the cleaner into a cup so that it would not splash. &#8220;Any time that she poured Drano into a cup, it was completely empty,&#8221; Wohl claimed. &#8220;It was for facilitating use in the sink or any other particular part of her house that was clogged as far as the drainage goes, but she never poured any Drano or any chemical into any drink that the father or her husband used or was drinking, ever. That’s completely untrue.&#8221;
The lawyer said he did not know if Chen ingested drain cleaner, and if so, how. &#8220;But we do know that he was desperate for a divorce filing,&#8221; Wohl said. &#8220;He was desperate to have reasons to gain custody of the children. And we believe completely that these claims that he has made are all part and parcel of that effort.&#8221;
Yu was arrested by Irvine police last week after her husband brought images of Yu allegedly pouring drain cleaner into his lemonade to police, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-dermatologist-arrested-after-husband-gives-police-compelling-video-evidence-she-was-poisoning-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported Tuesday. In court documents obtained by the New York Post, Chen alleged that Yu had put drain cleaner in his lemonade on at least three occasions in July. According to his lawyer, via CBS Los Angeles, Chen told police that he&#8217;d been noticing a chemical taste in his lemonade and had been sick for months.
He was diagnosed with stomach ulcers, gastritis, and inflammation of the esophagus. Suspecting his wife, Chen installed a &#8220;nanny cam&#8221; in their kitchen, court documents showed. Footage from the camera allegedly shows Yu pouring the drain cleaner into a cup, which Chen then drinks from. Chen then provide the footage to police.
“He became ill and his condition worsened over the past month and as a result of him examining his routine he grew suspicious of his wife and placed a video camera in the home they shared and discovered evidence he believes supports the fact that she was poisoning him,” Irvine police Lt. Bill Bingham told Fox News. Bingham said that police found the video footage he provided “to be compelling.”
Yu has been suspended from work, but was bailed out of jail and has not been charged as of Wednesday, CBS Los Angeles reported.

Rear View Of Woman In Handcuffs

‘Desperate For A Divorce Filing’: Lawyer For California Doctor Calls Husband’s Poisoning Allegations ‘Defamatory’

'Desperate For A Divorce Filing': Lawyer For California Doctor Calls Husband's Poisoning Allegations 'Defamatory'

Crime

Marriage

Police

Tens of thousands of fish <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/21000-fish-die-catastrophic-failure-university-california-davis-facili-rcna42831" target="_blank" rel="noopener">perished</a> at a <a href="https://thefishsite.com/articles/21-000-fish-die-in-catastrophic-incident-at-uc-davis-aquaculture-lab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facility</a> at <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/university-of-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of California, Davis</a>, according to authorities with the school. 
Officials announced the “catastrophic failure” on Thursday, releasing a <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/statement-uc-davis-grieves-loss-fish" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on the situation which took place at the UC Davis Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture (CABA). They said 21,000 fish died in what appears to have been a tragedy caused by exposure to chlorine, “to which fish are especially sensitive.”
The statement explained that they are “[i]nvestigating where our process failed,” telling regulatory and funding groups about the situation, taking care of the fish that lived, looking into practices in other similar spaces, and starting “an independent external review,” as well as other action items. 
One type of research that was being carried out at the Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture included investigating “bioenergetics and environmental stressors on fish species, which included green and white sturgeon, as well as endangered Chinook salmon.”
The school pointed out that there are lots of other spaces that were not affected by the catastrophe where UC Davis carries out research. They are, however, looking into other facilities that might be at risk for a similar chlorine disaster. 
“We know that many researchers, regulatory agencies, Native American tribes and other partners trust us to care for their aquatic species,” the statement noted. “We will work hard to earn that trust by conducting a thorough review of our facilities, holding ourselves accountable for what happened, and taking steps to prevent it from happening ever again.” 
“We share the grief of the faculty, staff and students who worked to care for, study and conserve these animals. The people who conduct and support the research at this facility are conservationists, ecologists and veterinarians whose life work is devoted to understanding and supporting these species,&#8221; it continued. “We recognize that this loss is particularly devastating to our community. We commit to understanding what happened and making changes to the facility so that we can ensure that this does not happen again.”
The Daily Wire asked UC Davis News &amp; Media Relations contact Andy Fell if there are plans to restart the research after more fish are restored to the facility. 
“Yes, at the moment we are focused on determining the exact cause and making sure it can’t reoccur,” Fell answered over email. 
The CABA <a href="https://caba.ucdavis.edu/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> noted that the facility “was established to provide leadership, focus, and support to University of California Davis researchers in addressing problems associated with California’s cultured and wild aquatic biological resources.”
The center and its aquatic research spaces also “provide the basic infrastructure” for College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences departments, and other departments across the college, to carry out research and affiliated programs. 
The University of California recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-of-california-admits-record-in-state-students-cuts-back-on-international-and-out-of-state-admissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> a record number of in-state students after facing pressure to cut down on the amount of international and out-of-state students in the university. Last year, the school <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-18/uc-slams-door-on-sat-and-all-standardized-admissions-tests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threw</a> out any required standardized testing for admission after temporarily ending the SAT and ACT the year prior over alleged biased outcomes.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

21,000 Fish Die At UC Davis Research Facility

21,000 Fish Die At UC Davis Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture Research Facility 

Fish

University of California

A new California bill headed to the governor&#8217;s desk would expand taxpayer-funded &#8220;safe&#8221; drug use sites across the state despite the failure of a pilot site in San Francisco.
California Democrats passed the bill last week, which would allow San Francisco, nearby Oakland, and Los Angeles to set up new supervised drug use sites, which will run for five years through January 2028.
The so-called “safe injection” sites are aimed at reducing overdoses, but critics say they have a poor track record of success.
The <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB57">bill</a>, Senate Bill 57, passed in the state Senate, with just 21 Democrats and zero Republicans voting for it, but it was enough to send it to Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.
Newsom has not commented publicly about whether he will sign the bill. However, during his campaign in 2018 Newsom said he was “very very open” to the concept of safe injection sites. 
The new sites would allow addicts to inject or smoke their illegal drugs in a sterile environment with clean drug paraphernalia in hopes of reducing the spread of diseases like hepatitis and HIV as well as preventing overdoses from illegal drugs like heroin, meth, and fentanyl. 
Selling drugs is supposed to be prohibited at the sites.
Critics say that San Francisco&#8217;s experiment with a safe injection site was not successful and that the program should not be expanded to other cities. 
San Francisco originally launched its flagship &#8220;safe&#8221; injection site as the Tenderloin Linkage Center in the Tenderloin District. The neighborhood is known for being flooded with drug dealers and struggling with homelessness and violence. 
Mayor London Breed <a href="https://sfist.com/2021/12/17/breed-declares-state-of-emergency-in-tenderloin-over-nasty-streets/">said</a> the neighborhood is in a state of emergency when it comes to drug addiction and started the center in an attempt to curb overdoses and help addicts get treatment, but the numbers have not changed much. 
In January, the month the center opened, 48 people overdosed in San Francisco, and that number <a href="https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/2022%2005_OCME%20Overdose%20Report.pdf">stayed</a> about the same in the following months. Nearly 50,000 people <a href="https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/sf-tenderloin-center-drops-linkage-from-its-name/">used</a> the center between January and May, but only 163 people were referred to substance abuse treatment and only 38 were connected to treatment between the end of January and mid-May, according to Kron4. 
The city changed the name of the Tenderloin Linkage Center to the Tenderloin Center, and city officials said the center was focusing on providing basic services and reducing fatal overdoses.
In December, the city is slated to <a href="https://sfist.com/2022/06/16/the-tenderloin-formerly-known-as-linkage-center-to-shut-down-at-the-end-of-the-year/">shut down</a> the center, which is estimated to have cost the city about $<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11077587/California-state-senate-passes-bill-allowing-open-air-drug-sites-California.html">19 million</a>. 
The governor is facing pressure from Democrats to sign the bill as it is a longtime wishlist item for the progressive base in California.
&#8220;Drug addiction is a health issue, not a criminal issue,&#8221; Democrat State Sen. Scott Weiner <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/california-bill-safe-consumption-sites/2974043/">said</a> Wednesday, according to NBC Bay Area.
&#8220;The status quo is filling our prisons and our morgues,&#8221; said Oakland Democrat Mayor Libby Schaaf, according to the outlet.
Both Democrats claimed the bill will save taxpayer dollars.
Meanwhile, Republicans are urging Newsom to veto the legislation.
“This dangerous measure endangers neighborhoods, communities, and businesses,” <a href="https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/08/02/republicans-in-state-senate-call-on-gov-newsom-to-veto-bill-allowing-drug-dens/">said</a> Republican state Sen. Brian Jones, according to the Time of Sand Diego. “Allowing people to get higher than a kite on heroin and other dangerous drugs, then turning them loose afterwards onto the streets is just crazy.”

London Breed, mayor of San Francisco, day in the life

California Passes Bill For More ‘Safe’ Drug Use Sites After San Francisco’s Failed

California Passes Bill For More 'Safe' Drug Use Sites After San Francisco's Failed

Fentanyl

San Francisco

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-actress-anne-heche-had-drugs-in-system-during-fiery-crash-report">Anne Heche</a> suffered a serious brain injury from a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/condition-of-actress-anne-heche-far-worse-than-previous-reports">fiery crash</a> last week and is not expected to survive, the actress&#8217; family said.
Heche was taken to a nearby hospital after she crashed her vehicle into a two-story home on August 5. The Mini Cooper and the house were both engulfed in flames for up to 65 minutes, according to authorities.
&#8220;Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition,&#8221; the family <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/anne-heche-suffered-brain-injury-expected-survive-family/story?id=88278228&amp;cid=social_twitter_abcn">said</a>. &#8220;She is not expected to survive.&#8221;
Medical professionals are checking to see which of her organs are viable to be donated. “It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable,&#8221; the statement said.
“More than her extraordinary talent, she saw spreading kindness and joy as her life’s work — especially moving the needle for acceptance of who you love,&#8221; the family said of Heche. &#8220;She will be remembered for her courageous honesty and dearly missed for her light.&#8221;
Reps for Heche over the weekend said the actress was in &#8220;stable&#8221; condition, but on Monday it was confirmed the 53-year-old was in a coma.
“At this time Anne is in extreme critical condition,” a rep for Heche <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/08/anne-heche-in-extremely-critical-condition-remains-in-a-coma-following-fiery-car-crash-1235087666/">said</a> Monday. “She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.”
“She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident,” the rep added.
Heche reportedly crashed into a garage of an apartment complex on Friday before backing up, speeding off, and eventually crashing into the Los Angeles home.
In video obtained by TMZ, Heche’s blue Mini Cooper is seen near the garage, and it seems the actress is speaking to residents of the complex. A male voice repeatedly asks Heche to get out of the car, and the actress responds, “no, sir,” the video suggests. The vehicle in the video then backs up and speeds off.
Video from a home security camera shows the Mini Cooper moving at high speeds down a street before crashing into the two-story home.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
EXCLUSIVE: Video shows the vehicle owned by actress Anne Heche speeding down a Mar Vista street moments before crashing into a home and sparking a fire. The story on <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBSLA</a> 5pm. <a href="https://t.co/1H93z5aVx7">pic.twitter.com/1H93z5aVx7</a>
&mdash; Rachel Kim (@CBSLARachel) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSLARachel/status/1555698048449122305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://www.lafd.org/alert/knockdown-structure-fire-08052022-inc0707">According</a> to a press release from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the “Six Days Seven Nights” actress barreled into a 738-square-foot, two-story home “causing structural compromise and erupting in heavy fire prior to LAFD arrival.”
It took 59 firefighters 65 minutes to “access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure, and rescue one female adult found within the vehicle, who has been taken to an area hospital by LAFD Paramedics in critical condition,” the press release added. “No other injuries reported.”
Authorities confirmed on Thursday that narcotics were found in the actress&#8217; system.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-details-emerge-in-actress-anne-heches-fiery-crash-into-two-story-home">Shocking Details Emerge In Actress Anne Heche’s Fiery Crash Into Two-Story Home</a>

HBO’s Official Golden Globe Awards After Party – Arrivals

‘Not Expected To Survive’: Anne Heche Family Releases Statement On Actress’ Condition After Fiery Crash

Paso Robles school board in the central valley of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> has delayed discussions over amending its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bullying" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bullying</a> policies and removing certain specific protective features for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lgbtq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LGBTQ</a> students.
An original anti-bullying policy was created in 2020 and <a href="https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/article264339616.html">reportedly</a> describes the ways in which the district deals with discrimination, bullying, and harassment in order to follow federal and state laws. It also provides clarity on what students and staff are not allowed to do.
According to The Tribune, the policy generally <a href="https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/article264339616.html">bans</a> “unlawful discrimination targeting a student, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying, based on the student’s actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other legally protected status or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.”
“We are working with counsel to make sure our policies and regulations accurately reflect state mandates to protect all students including those in all protected classes, including LGBTQ,” district Superintendent Curt Dubost told the San Luis Obispo Tribune over text message. “They (LGBTQ) all still come under anti-discrimination for all, just not listed separately.”
The original policy also had a specific area for “issues unique to intersex, nonbinary, transgender and gender non-conforming students.” It also reportedly explained definitions for “gender identity,” “gender expression,” “intersex,” “nonbinary,” “transgender” and “gender non-conforming” students.
The school board was scheduled to consider a new version this week that cut almost that whole portion. The policy would instead be <a href="https://edsource.org/updates/paso-robles-school-trustees-delay-rollback-of-lbgtq-student-protections-after-objections-are-raised">more</a> widespread, but the decision was tabled after members of the community <a href="https://edsource.org/updates/paso-robles-school-trustees-delay-rollback-of-lbgtq-student-protections-after-objections-are-raised">expressed</a> disapproval of the potential move.
“I think this is an issue that has to simmer a little while in the community,” Board President Chris Arend <a href="https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/article264373651.html">said</a> at the gathering.
The new version would have kept in place the ability for students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their chosen gender identity, but it got rid of other specific defenses. It would also get rid of a rule that made district employees use “a name and the pronoun(s) consistent with the student’s gender identity, without the necessity of a court order or a change to the student’s official district record,” at the request of the student.
It would also delete a portion that said: “A student has the right to dress in a manner consistent with the student’s gender identity, subject to any dress code adopted on a school site.”

F9E233E6-88F1-4619-8861-3FEA5610F33F_1_105_c

California School Board Delays Discussion On Changing LGBTQ-Specific Bullying Policy

Paso Robles School Board In California Tables Discussion On Changing Bullying Policies To Remove Some LGBTQ Specific Policies After Community Disapproval

Bullying

Education

LGBTQ

Transgender

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california">California</a> lawmakers are considering a proposal that would get rid of lengthy solitary confinement practices in prisons and other detention facilities.
The measure, called the <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2632">California Mandela Act</a>, would end solitary confinement periods “for more than 15 consecutive days” and not allow over 45 days in total over a period of 180 days. The bill would also make it so that a facility cannot put a person in solitary confinement if they are part of a “special population,” which includes certain people who are 25 years old or younger, those who are at least 60 years old, pregnant, recently postpartum, “or has recently suffered a miscarriage or terminated a pregnancy.” The specification also applies to people who have a physical or mental disability.
The bill must be passed by the state Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday for it to continue. A potential drawback of the measure could be its price tag. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reportedly estimated that it would cost the state over $1 billion to follow the law due to the new requirements. However, the proposal’s supporters released a <a href="https://imadvocates.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Solitary-Cost-Report-AB2632.pdf">report</a> saying the bill would save the state at least $60 million per year because it would cut down on solitary confinement costs.
“Solitary confinement is torture,” Hamid Yazdan Panah, advocacy director for Immigrant Defense Advocates, which is in favor of the bill, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/11/us/california-solitary-confinement.html">told</a> The New York Times. “If we a long time ago accepted that torture is unacceptable in our jails and prisons, then we really have to take this issue seriously.”
Employees at the facility would also be required to check in on the person in solitary confinement at least twice each hour, and more often if the person appears to be suicidal or “is demonstrating unusual behavior.” Mental health or medical personnel would be required to examine the person every 24 hours, and a mental health professional would also need to examine the person every 48 hours for continuing solitary confinement.
The bill would also change the traditional structure of solitary confinement by requiring the person who is in solitary confinement to be given out-of-cell programming for at least four hours each day, with at least one recreational hour.
Yazdan Panah told the Times that around 4,000 people are in solitary confinement at any period of time, and these new guidelines would bring that amount down by 70%.
“We’re housing individuals in a cell the size of a parking stall, with no real outlet, with no interaction with other people for extended periods of time,” Assemblyman Chris Holden, who introduced the bill, told the Times. “It’s just unacceptable.”

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California Considers Reducing Maximum Solitary Confinement Time In New Bill

California Legislature Considers Changing Solitary Confinement Guidelines In Bill AB2632

Criminal Justice

Prison

Actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-details-emerge-in-actress-anne-heches-fiery-crash-into-two-story-home">Anne Heche</a> had cocaine and possibly fentanyl in her system at the time she crashed her blue Mini Cooper into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/los-angeles">Los Angeles</a> home last week.
Heche on Friday was taken to a nearby hospital after she crashed her vehicle into a two-story home. The Mini Cooper and the house were both engulfed in flames, and Heche suffered severe burns.
Sources from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reportedly <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/08/11/anne-heche-under-influence-cocaine-fentanyl-car-crash-house-condition/">told</a> TMZ on Thursday afternoon that Heche had her blood tested following the fiery crash. Cocaine was found in her system, as well as fentanyl, though the latter could be from pain medicine administered to Heche by medical professionals in the aftermath of the crash.
Alcohol was not found in her system.
Reps for Heche said on Saturday that the actress was in &#8220;stable&#8221; condition, but that quickly changed.
“At this time Anne is in extreme critical condition,” a rep for Heche said Monday, <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/08/anne-heche-in-extremely-critical-condition-remains-in-a-coma-following-fiery-car-crash-1235087666/">according</a> to Deadline. “She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.”
“She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident,” the statement added.
Heche reportedly crashed into a garage of an apartment complex on Friday before backing up, speeding off, and eventually crashing into the Los Angeles home.
In video obtained by TMZ, Heche’s blue Mini Cooper is seen near the garage, and it seems the actress is speaking to residents of the complex. A male voice repeatedly asks Heche to get out of the car, and the actress responds, “no, sir,” the video suggests.
The vehicle in the video then backs up and speeds off.
Video from a home security camera shows the Mini Cooper moving at high speeds down a street before crashing into the two-story home.
<a href="https://www.lafd.org/alert/knockdown-structure-fire-08052022-inc0707">According</a> to a press release from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the &#8220;Six Days Seven Nights&#8221; actress barreled into a 738 square foot two-story home “causing structural compromise and erupting in heavy fire prior to LAFD arrival.”
It took 59 firefighters 65 minutes to “access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure, and rescue one female adult found within the vehicle, who has been taken to an area hospital by LAFD Paramedics in critical condition,” the press release added. “No other injuries reported.”
Heche&#8217;s condition reportedly remains the same.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-details-emerge-in-actress-anne-heches-fiery-crash-into-two-story-home">Shocking Details Emerge In Actress Anne Heche’s Fiery Crash Into Two-Story Home</a>

74th Annual Directors Guild Of America Awards – Arrivals

Actress Anne Heche Had Drugs In System During Fiery Crash: Report

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