Tag: california

Scandalous past of Lake Tahoe mayor who resigned after stealing $300,000 from church while claiming she had depression

The former mayor of South Lake Tahoe who resigned after admitting to stealing $300,000 from a church was previously accused of defrauding an insurance company.

Tamara Wallace had served as mayor of the California city since December 2024, and for one year in 2022, but resigned on Monday after admitting to the theft.

The scandal-plagued mayor sent a confessional letter to several local news outlets, blaming her struggles with mental health for stealing from the Presbyterian Church over several years. 

But Wallace also previously faced a lawsuit from Federal Insurance Company, now a subsidiary of insurance firm Chubb, for ‘theft of funds’ totaling over $100,000, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The records reviewed by the outlet showed that Wallace agreed to repay the money after the alleged fraud was discovered in 2006, but then failed to repay the cash, prompting a second lawsuit from the firm in 2021. 

The lawsuits reportedly did not give details over how Wallace allegedly stole from the insurance company, however the first lawsuit was dismissed months after it was filed. 

The second lawsuit alleged that Wallace fraudulently received a payout of $122,193, but then failed to follow a payment plan that she had agreed to 15 years before when it was found to be erroneous. 

The company said Wallace agreed to pay just $200-a-month until the balance was paid off, but she stopped paying around February 2017, despite an agreement that she would be liable for the full amount if she ceased her payments. 

After Wallace was allegedly caught in 2006, she signed a promissory note acknowledging she owed the money and insisted she would pay it back, the company said. 

At the time she stopped paying, Wallace still owed more than $110,000, the Chronicle reported. 

In June 2022 Wallace was ordered by a judge to repay the company, and she signed a second promissory note agreeing to make $400 monthly payments, on top of a $2500 initial payment. 

The emergence of the alleged insurance fraud adds another layer to the political scandal which forced her to leave office earlier this month. 

Dana Tibbitts, a member of the El Dorado County Government Watch group, told the Chronicle after the scandal emerged, ‘the most important thing is that (the theft from the church) was not her first rodeo. 

‘She has been down this road a long time… and we probably don’t know the half of it.’ 

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California: 10 Teams Have Forfeited to Volleyball Team with Transgender Player

A total of 10 teams have now forfeited to the Jurupa Valley High School girls’ volleyball team in California due to the inclusion of a transgender athlete on its roster.

“Los Osos High School forfeited a tournament game against Jurupa Valley on Saturday, while Patriot High School forfeited its Monday varsity match, marking its second forfeit to JVHS this season. Patriot High School previously forfeited a Sept. 26 match to Jurupa Valley,” Fox News reported on Wednesday.

A California school board president familiar with the matter confirmed that only the Patriot High School varsity team forfeited to JVHS, while the JV and freshman teams did play.

No school has given an official reason for the forfeits. As many as two Jurupa Valley senior players, Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh, quit the team this season in protest of sharing a court with a transgender athlete, which Jurupa Valley High School has continued to support.

“McPherson and Hazameh have also filed a lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified School District, citing their experience playing and sharing a locker room with Hernandez the previous three seasons. McPherson’s older sister and former JVHS girls’ volleyball player, Madison McPherson, is the third plaintiff in that lawsuit,” noted Fox News.

“Jurupa Valley is poised to play in the postseason, where forfeits may continue. Last season, a Christian high school girls’ volleyball team in northern California, Stone Ridge Christian, forfeited a playoff game to San Francisco Waldorf, which had a trans athlete on its team,” it added.

Jurupa Valley previously addressed the forfeits, saying that the school must comply with the law.

“We understand and acknowledge the disappointment of our Jurupa Valley High School athletes who are ready and prepared to play. Decisions to cancel matches were made by teams in other districts,” the statement read. “As a public school district in California, JUSD is compelled to follow the law, which protects students from discrimination based on gender identity and requires that students be permitted to participate on athletic teams that are consistent with their gender identity (California Education Code 221.5 (f)).”

“This is consistent with the guidance provided by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond,” it continued. “We are proud of our JVHS Jaguars and their willingness to play any team and represent their school and our district with pride. We are currently working to find additional matches to give them that opportunity.”

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Billionaires’ controversial plans for new California city are dealt humiliating blow as they unveil alternative

A group of billionaires have scrapped their plans to build a new California city from scratch and unveiled a new alternative. 

The real estate consortium, known as California Forever, initially planned to build a brand new metropolis in Solano County. 

They began buying up parcels of land under a pseudonym in 2023, but this raised suspicion among locals. 

Amid the controversy the group has now abandoned their original plans and revealed the project will be going forward as an annexation of an existing city.

California Forever CEO Jan Sramek, 38, said the group now intends to establish its development as an offshoot from nearby Suisan City, a small hub of around 30,000 residents.

Sramek unveiled a 40-year master plan to build the city on its new spot northeast of San Francisco. 

The project has drawn in high-profile backers, including LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, tech titan Marc Andreesen, and Steve Jobs’ widow and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs. 

The latest plans will see Suisan City expand by 22,873 acres, including a 5,700-acre security buffer zone near Travis Air Force Base, reports Realtor.com. 

The consortium have lauded the plans for their new megacity, and have designated at least 20 percent of the city to parks, trails, ecological habitats and community gardens. 

The city’s proximity to Travis Air Force Base sparked concern among some locals who feared the quiet purchase of the land could be related to a foreign plot, similarly to the Chinese government buying American farmland in recent years. 

But Sramek said that the land was bought covertly because the group did not want speculators to drive up land prices in the area. 

The latest plans have been signed off by military leaders at the air force base, who say that construction would not interfere with its military operations. 

Sramek has touted the proposed city as ‘the most walkable community in America’, and says it will feature an entertainment district, a new shipyard, and a tech-focused hub. 

He says the design will combine New York-style street grids, as well as city designs from Barcelona and Tokyo, to make the city easy to navigate. 

‘Like California’s fusion cuisine, we drew inspiration from the best designs from across the world to create something delightful,’ he said in an X post. 

He also says the city will be more affordable for many, and will utilize ‘a small parcel fabric where lots of people co-create a real city.’ 

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California city severely restricts self-checkouts in attempt to stop shoplifters

A California city is cracking down on shoplifters with a first-of-its-kind rule dramatically restricting self-checkouts.

Long Beach passed the “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” in September, which requires large grocery stores and pharmacies to have at least one staff member monitoring every three self-checkout stations, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Many stores say they’ve been forced to simply shut down self-checkouts altogether because they can’t hire the staff to meet the new rules.

“We are currently unable to operate our self-checkout lanes,” read a recently posted sign at a downtown Long Beach supermarket, blaming “a new City of Long Beach ordinance.”

The city — located on the Pacific coast just south of Los Angeles — is one of countless across the US that has seen an enormous spike in shoplifting since the 2020 pandemic, with the The National Retail Federation reporting a staggering 93% increase from 2019 to 2023.

And those are just the numbers that are known — the Long Branch ordinance described shoplifting as extremely common and severely underreported, adding that such crime made retail work “hostile and unsafe.”

Stores are also required to limit customers to buying 15 items per self-checkout kiosk under the new rules.

The ordinance is intended to “advance public safety and prevent retail theft,” according to its own language, and some local union reps think it will do just that.

“The checkers and the cashiers are on the front lines of this,” Matt Bell, secretary treasurer of the grocery worker union UFCW 324 told the LA Times.

“It really is necessary to provide them safety and security and better staffing,” he added.

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Obama Does Ad for Gavin Newsom on Redistricting – Accuses Republicans of Trying to ‘Rig’ the Next Election 

Former President Obama just will not go away. It seems like every other day, he is on a podcast, doing an interview, or making news by commenting on the issues of the day.

At the same time, he seems like the incredible shrinking man, because his legacy is being gutted by Trump’s second term.

Now he is doing ads for Prop 50 in California, in which he accuses Republicans of trying to rig the next election.

Breitbart News reports:

Barack Obama Claims Republicans Want to ‘Steal’ Seats, ‘Rig’ Election in Ad for Newsom’s Gerrymandering Proposal

Former President Barack Obama and California Governor Gavin Newsom are urging Californians to vote in favor of Proposition 50, a ballot measure that would replace the state’s independent redistricting system with a legislature-approved map projected to eliminate several Republican-held congressional districts.

On Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X, “Listen to @barackobama,” sharing a new video featuring former President Barack Obama encouraging voters to support Proposition 50 in the state’s November 4 special election.

In the video, Obama says:

“California, the whole nation is counting on you. Democracy is on the ballot November 4. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years. With Prop 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks. Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, which preserves Independent Redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide. Return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.”

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California Governor Vetoes Ban on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Cookware

California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom halted legislation that would have banned “forever chemicals,” known as PFAS, from several products in his state. 

The legislation, which Newsom vetoed on Oct. 13, would have prevented the sale of cookware, cleaning products, dental floss, children’s products, food packaging, and ski wax containing the chemicals. 

Cookware with harmful substances would have been banned starting in 2030, and the other products in 2028. 

“Forever chemicals” is the nickname given to the group of chemicals called PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are synthetic and used widely in products, including non-stick, waterproof, or heat and stain-resistant items.

When announcing the veto, Newsom voiced concern about the availability of cookware if the ban were put in place.

“The broad range of products that would be impacted by this bill would result in a sizable and rapid shift in cooking products available to Californians,” he said.

“I appreciate efforts to protect the health and safety of consumers, and while this bill is well-intentioned, I am deeply concerned about the impact this bill would have on the availability of affordable options,” he added.

Dr. Anna Reade, director of PFAS advocacy with Natural Resources Defense Council, criticized Newsom for his decision in an Oct. 13 statement, saying, “By vetoing SB 682, Governor Newsom failed to protect Californians and our drinking water from toxic forever chemicals.”

According to Reade, the policy would have aligned with California with other states that have decided to phase out PFAS from these consumer products.

“Now, California is a laggard. It’s unfortunate that misinformation and greed by some in the cookware industry tanked this policy.

“But people are increasingly aware of the health and pollution risks associated with forever chemicals and are demanding PFAS-free alternatives for their homes and families.”

PFAS can stay in soil and water for centuries, and there has been a link found between the chemicals and health problems, including some cancers, and changes in immune and hormone systems.

However, those in opposition to the legislation said it wasn’t a clear-cut support of PFAS. 

The California Manufacturers and Technology Association stood against the legislation, saying, “We support targeted efforts to address harmful PFAS chemicals.”

However, the association said, the bill “continues an overreach by banning broad categories of PFAS used safely in cookware and by establishing unworkable standards for sectors like cleaning products.”

“SB 682 fails to distinguish between harmful PFAS and inert, stable fluoropolymers like PTFE, which are FDA-approved for food contact and used in medical devices,” it said.

“These materials do not pose environmental or health risks and have been safely used for decades.”

The association continued, saying that because the bill bans the distribution of affected products, it could push manufacturers to relocate logistics operations out of state, “costing California jobs.”

Similarly, the Cookware Sustainability Alliance said, “The fluoropolymers used by our industry, primarily polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), do not have the same characteristics of nonpolymeric PFAS of concern, which should be the focus of environmental and public health policy.”

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Trump Admin Withholds $41 Million From California Over English-Language Trucking Rules

The Trump administration is withholding $40.6 million in transportation funding from California after an investigation found the state failed to comply with the federal English language proficiency requirement for truck drivers, officials announced on Oct. 15.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will keep $40.7 million in federal grant funding for California from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP). The funding is awarded to states to conduct roadside inspections, traffic enforcement, safety audits of trucking companies, and public education campaigns.

“The Golden State thinks it’s OK to ignore [the U.S. Department of Transportation’s] English language requirements for truckers,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X. “You can play all the games you want, but not at the expense of American lives.”

Duffy announced this summer that he would enforce the Trump administration’s new English language requirements for truck drivers, threatening to withhold the grant funds for states that did not meet the standards.

California, Washington, and New Mexico were given until Sept. 26 to comply with new federal rules requiring truck drivers to be proficient in the English language. States that failed to comply were told they risked losing up to 100 percent of their MCSAP grants.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s spokeswoman Diana Crofts-Pelayo denied the federal government’s accusations.

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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier Files Supreme Court Lawsuit Against Gavin Newsom and California Over “Sanctuary” Policies for Illegal Aliens

Florida is taking the fight straight to the top.

Attorney General James Uthmeier announced late Wednesday night that Florida has filed a landmark lawsuit against California in the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that Governor Gavin Newsom’s “sanctuary” state policies are putting American lives at risk and violating the Constitution.

“Tonight, we filed a lawsuit against Gavin Newsom and California in the U.S. Supreme Court because their so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies for illegal aliens are harming states like Florida,” Uthmeier announced.

“California must pay for the carnage of their open border policies and unlawful CDL programs.”

The lawsuit comes after a deadly crash in Florida involving an illegal immigrant from India, identified as Harjinder Singh, who had obtained a commercial driver’s license (CDL) from California and later Washington State despite being unable to read road signs or speak English.

The crash killed three Haitian nationals living legally in the U.S. under temporary protected status.

It was revealed that Singh received a work permit from the Biden regime in June 2021 after the Trump administration denied him one in September 2020.

While he illegally crossed in 2018, it was Biden who gave him permission to live and work in the United States, and it was California that illegally granted him a driver’s license.

As Fox News’ Sean Hannity reminded viewers Wednesday night, the illegal driver “was only behind the wheel because California gives out regular driver’s licenses  even commercial ones to illegals.”

Once an illegal immigrant secures a standard license, upgrading to a CDL becomes easy, despite federal law requiring English proficiency and road safety knowledge.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Department of Transportation, under Sean Duffy, announced it will withhold $40 million in federal grant money from California for failing to enforce English language requirements for truck drivers.

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Mitt Romney’s Brother Was Fighting to Make Sure Estranged Wife Was Awarded NOTHING in Bitter Divorce Battle Just Months Before She Plunged to Her Death

As previously reported, Mitt Romney’s sister-in-law, Carrie Elizabeth Romney, was found dead near a parking garage in Valencia, California.

Authorities responded to a call on Friday night on reports of a dead woman near a parking garage.

The woman, later identified as former Senator Mitt Romney’s sister-in-law, Carrie Romney, either jumped or fell off a five-story structure near the Valencia Town Center mall.

The 64-year-old died on scene.

Carrie Romney was married to former Senator Mitt Romney’s older brother, George Scott Romney, 81.

According to divorce records obtained by The New York Post, George Romney was trying to make sure that his wife Carrie got awarded nothing in a bitter divorce battle.

George Romney, a prominent lawyer with a very powerful and politically connected brother, sought to block his wife from receiving spousal support and said they had no shared property.

The two were married for 8 years, and their divorce was not final at the time Carried plunged to her death.

Carrie Romney’s death is still under investigation.

Police do not suspect foul play.

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Newsom Vetoes California Bill To Let Marijuana Businesses Deliver Products Directly To Patients

The governor of California has vetoed a bill that would have allowed certain marijuana microbusinesses to ship medical cannabis products directly to patients via common carriers like FedEx and UPS, stating that the proposal “would be burdensome and overly complex to administer.”

After advancing through the legislature last month, the measure from Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D) was rejected by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Saturday.

“This bill would authorize a limited number of cannabis microbusinesses to ship certain medicinal cannabis products directly to patients using a common carrier,” the governor said in a veto message.

An analysis of the legislation says supporters argue that “a small population of patients in California requires specific medicinal products that retailers do not stock, as only a handful of individuals seek them, and these products are perishable.”

“This bill is intended to create flexibility for medical patients and caregivers for whom it is a hardship to travel to purchase medicinal cannabis products. However, prior amendments narrowed the scope of the bill by prohibiting the shipment of medicinal cannabis goods to patients who live within 60 miles of a cannabis retailer or delivery option. It is unclear how many patients currently stand to benefit from this bill.”

The bill sponsor, Ahrens, said in the analysis that “the availability of medical cannabis products has declined significantly due to regulatory burdens, high taxation, and the prioritization of adult-use recreational products over medicinal formulations.”

“As a result, many patients—particularly those with intractable epilepsy, advanced cancers, multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative disorders—are struggling to obtain appropriate and effective medical cannabis products,” he said. “California’s vast geography further exacerbates this issue, as many seriously ill patients live in areas where specialized medical cannabis products are not available locally and these patients are not able to travel long distances to dispensaries that carry the products they need.”

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