SIDELINES
SIDELINES THIS YEAR. NEWS STARTS RIGHT NOW. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US. I'M CARLOS CATTO.
I'M MARCELLA LEE IN FOR BARBARA
LEE EDWARDS, THE NEW DIRECTOR
OF THE STATE'S EMPLOYMENT
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WAS IN
THE HOT SEAT TODAY DURING A
PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS A
RECENT AUDIT OF THE AGENCY AS
DHS DAVID GONE CONSUMER REPORTS
LAWMAKERS ARE PRESSING HARD FOR
CHANGES TO BE MADE AND SOON
THERE IS NO EXCUSE. WE'RE IN A
CRISIS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA OFF AND SO ARE WE.
HEATED DEBATE WEDNESDAY ON THE
FLOOR OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE
AS THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE
EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO HARD
QUESTIONS FROM LAWMAKERS.
SHOULD PEOPLE BE OFF BECAUSE
THEY DID EVERYTHING RIGHT? AND
THEN WHAT HAPPENED WAS EDEN
SCREWED AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE
THEY SHOULD BE. SEVENTY ONE
YEAR OLD RITA SAINZ HAS ONLY
BEEN ON THE JOB ONE MONTH BUT
SHE HAS A DECADES LONG HISTORY
OF REFORMING GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES. I'VE SEEN PROBLEMS
LIKE THIS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS
AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN
BE FIXED AND SUNITA
ASSEMBLYWOMAN TASHA BONNER. WHY
WANTED TO KNOW WHY THE PEOPLE
IN HER DISTRICT CAN'T GET
THROUGH ON THE EDT PHONE LINES
?THEY'RE CALLING EDT AND
CALLING EDT AND CALLING EDT
ONLY TO FINALLY GET A HOLD OF
SOMEBODY WHO CAN'T FIX THEIR
PROBLEM EARLY ON IN THE
PANDEMIC. EDT HIRED HUNDREDS OF
NEW EMPLOYEES TO HANDLE THE
SURGE IN PHONE CALLS BUT THOSE
EMPLOYEES WERE UNTRAINED
CALIFORNIA STATE AUDITOR ELAINE
HOW WE LOOKED AT EDT 10 YEARS
AGO. IT TOOK THEM 13 14 MONTHS
TO TRAIN SOMEONE. NOW THEY'RE
SAYING WE STREAMLINED IT DOWN
TO NINE. WELL, I THINK THEY
NEED TO BE MORE CREATIVE THAN
THAT. AS UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS
CLIMBED TO RECORD LEVELS IN
2020, EDT RELAXED FRAUD
PREVENTION MEASURES IN ORDER TO
GET MORE MONEY MAILED FASTER TO
UNEMPLOYED WORKERS. IT LED TO
WIDESPREAD IDENTITY THEFT AND
11 BILLION DOLLARS IN
FRAUDULENT CLAIMS BEING PAID
OUT. NOW MANY CALIFORNIANS MAY
BE IN FOR A SURPRISE WHEN THEY
RECEIVE A TAX FORM IN THE MAIL
SAYING THEY RECEIVED EDT
BENEFITS THEY NEVER APPLIED
FOR. THERE MAY BE SOME
INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE WHO
AREN'T EVEN AWARE THAT THEIR
IDENTITY HAS BEEN STOLEN. THE
NEW DIRECTOR SAID SHE WOULD
ADOPT ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS
IN THE RECENT EDT AUDIT AND
WORK TO GET LEGITIMATE CLAIMS
UNFROZEN. WE WILL DO OUR BEST
TO ENSURE THESE PEOPLE GET WHAT
THEY NEED BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T RELEASE
THE GUARDRAILS AGAIN. THE AUDIT
CALLS FOR EDT TO FORM A
CENTRALIZED FRAUD PREVENTION
UNIT BY THE END OF NEXT MONTH
AND THE PLAN IS FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO ASSESS THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT UNIT. SO
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. CARLA.
DAVID, WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE
DOES THIS NEW DIRECTOR HAVE IN
REFORMING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES?
RITA SAINZ HAS 40 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE IN THE PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE SECTORS. SHE WAS A
DIRECTOR AT XEROX. HE WAS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY AS WELL
AS THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICES. SO SHE KNOWS
WHAT SHE'S DOING. QUITE A TASK
AHEAD OF. ALL RIGHT, DAVID
GRAFTON REPORTING LIVE. THANKS,
DAVID. STUDENTS AND STAFF AT
CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
ARE GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A
POPULAR TEACHER AND FOOTBALL
COACH AS NEWS AIDE STEVE PRICE
REPORTS, THE FAMILY OF MARIO
FIERO IS ALSO EXPRESSING GREAT
APPRECIATE FOR THE COMMUNITY'S
SUPPORT. THE MEMORIAL TO MARIO
FIERRO CONTINUES TO GROW HERE
NEAR THE SPOT WHERE HE WAS SHOT
AND KILLED AND IT'S FILLED NOT
JUST WITH THE TRADITIONAL ITEMS
OF FLOWERS AND CANDLES BUT ALSO
SPECIAL TRIBUTES LIKE A
CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC CHAMPIONSHIP
RING. A HANDWRITTEN NOTE FROM A
STUDENT AND A FOOTBALL JERSEY
FROM PLAYERS WHO DEARLY LOVED
HIM. IT'S A SONG THAT PERFECTLY
FITS WHAT MARIO FIERO MEANT TO
SO MANY. THE CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC
TEACHER AND COACH A ROCK TO
LEAN ON DURING TOUGH TIMES.
MARIO IS A GREAT COACH, MENTOR,
TEACHER, FRIEND. SOMEBODY GOES
TO COUNT ON WHENEVER YOU NEED
HELP OR WHENEVER IN DOUBT. FOR
THOSE WHO KNEW MARIO IT'S HARD
TO BELIEVE A MAN SO FULL OF
LIFE IS SUDDENLY GONE FOREVER.
HE ALWAYS JUST MADE OTHER
PEOPLE AROUND HIM BETTER AND
YOU ALWAYS PUSH PEOPLE TO BE
THEIR BEST VERSIONS OF HIMSELF
AND I'LL JUST REMEMBER THAT
GOOD OF HIM AND HOW HE IMPACTED
MY LIFE AS WELL AS MANY OTHER
STUDENTS. MARIO'S FAMILY HAS
SEEN THE TRIBUTES, THE MESSAGES
OF SUPPORT AND WHILE THEY SAY
THE PAIN IS STILL TOO RAW TO
TALK ON CAMERA, THEY DID ASK US
TO RELEASE THIS STATEMENT. WE
ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OUTPOURING
OF LOVE MARIO IS RECEIVING. WE
REALLY THINK THE COMMUNITY FOR
PROVIDING STRENGTH AND SUPPORT
STUDENTS ARE ALSO SENDING
PRAYERS. MARIO'S FIANCEE WHO
ALSO TEACHES AT CATHEDRAL
CATHOLIC I WANT TO BE THERE FOR
HER AND JUST SHE'S JUST SO
SWEET TO AND SHE'S REALLY
WELCOMING ALSO AND IT'S JUST
SAD TO LIKE YOU KNOW, I JUST I
JUST DON'T KNOW. LIKE IMAGINE
LOSING SOMEONE YOU LOVED SO
MUCH TO ENSURE THAT MARIO'S
POSITIVE SPIRIT WILL CONTINUE
TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF
STUDENTS. THE CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SAN
DIEGO HAS ANNOUNCED A
SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN HIS HONOR
SAYING CREATING A NEW
SCHOLARSHIP FUND TO HONOR
MARIO'S LIFE AND TO CELEBRATE
HIS LOVE FOR CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC
HIGH SCHOOL IS THE NATURAL
THING TO DO. THIS FUND WILL
BENEFIT CURRENT AND FUTURE
GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS
ATTENDING THE SCHOOL TO IN
NORTH PARK. STEVE PRICE NEWS 8
SOME ENCOURAGING NEWS TONIGHT
IN A LOCAL FIGHT AGAINST COVER
19 FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW.
THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES IS
UNDER THE 1000 MARK. COUNTY
HEALTH OFFICIALS REPORTED NINE
HUNDRED SIXTY EIGHT NEW
INFECTIONS OUT OF NEARLY TWENTY
THOUSAND TESTS. THAT'S ABOUT A
FIVE PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE
AND THAT IS VERY LOW IN FACT.
THE 14 DAY AVERAGE IS NOW BELOW
8 PERCENT DOWN FROM 13 PERCENT
JUST THREE WEEKS AGO. SADLY, 54
NEW DEATHS WERE REPORTED TODAY
BRINGING THE CORONA VIRUS
RELATED DEATH TOLL IN THE
COUNTY TO TWO THOUSAND SIX
HUNDRED EIGHTY THREE. GOVERNOR
GAVIN NEWSOM ANNOUNCED TWO NEW
COMMUNITY VACCINATION SITES IN
LOS ANGELES AND OAKLAND TODAY
HOPING TO ADMINISTER SIX
THOUSAND DOSES PER DAY AT EACH
SITE. THESE ARE THE FIRST OF A
PILOT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. THAT'S
HEATHER HOPE HAS MORE ON THIS
NEW EFFORT AND TELLS IF A
FEDERAL VACCINATION SITE IS
BEING PLANNED FOR SAN DIEGO
COUNTY. YES, THERE IS A PUSH TO
GET MORE VACCINATION SITES UP
AND RUNNING. SAN DIEGO COUNTY
ALREADY HAS 19. AND TODAY GOV.
GAVIN NEWSOM ANNOUNCED TWO
FEDERAL ONES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WHAT WE HOPE IS A
MINIMUM OF SIX THOUSAND DOSES A
DAY HOPING TO BUILD FROM THAT
MOVING FORWARD UPPING THE
VACCINATION SCORE IN CALIFORNIA
FROM THE OAKLAND ALAMEDA
COLISEUM, GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM
UNVEILED A GAME CHANGING PLAN
TO OPEN TWO LARGE FEDERAL
VACCINATION SITES IN L.A. AND
OAKLAND. THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO
SPEED UP THE THROUGHPUT THE
FIRST OF ITS KIND. THESE SITES
WILL SERVE AS THE PILOT PROJECT
FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
WHICH HOPES TO OPEN 100
VACCINATION SITES IN PRESIDENT
BIDEN'S FIRST 100 DAYS. OAKLAND
AND LOS ANGELES COULD NOT BE
MORE PROUD TO HOST THESE FIRST
PILOTS FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO ACCELERATE THE
DISTRIBUTION OF LIFESAVING
VACCINE. STATE OFFICIALS SAY
THE TWO FEDERAL LOCATION
SELECTED ARE IN SOME OF THE
MOST DIVERSE AND
SOCIOECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED
COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY
WHICH HAVE BEEN
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
CULVERT 19. THE REASON THIS
SITE WAS CHOSEN WAS THE
FRAMEWORK OF MAKING SURE THAT
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OFTEN LEFT
BEHIND ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND.
THEIR PRIORITIZED. SO NOW THERE
WILL BE MORE SITES BUT NOT MORE
VACCINE. CALIFORNIA GETS A
LIMITED SUPPLY. THIS WEEK OF
ONE MILLION SIXTY THOUSAND
DOSES OF THE VACCINE. HOW WILL
THESE LARGE VACCINATION SITES
AFFECT THE ALREADY DWINDLING
SUPPLY? THIS SITE IS NOT GOING
TO IN ANY WAY IMPACT THE
EXISTING VACCINE RAW RESOURCES.
BUT WHAT ABOUT SAN DIEGO
GETTING A FEDERAL VACCINATION
SITE? THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR
SAN DIEGO COUNTY WITH WHAT
THEY'RE DOING IN OAKLAND IN
L.A. IS WE HAVE THE OPPOSITE
PROBLEM THAT OTHER AREAS HAVE.
OUR COUNTY HAS 19 VACCINES
SITES WHICH CAN ALTOGETHER
ADMINISTER 20000 DOSES A DAY.
WE'VE BUILT OUT FAR MORE
INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKFORCE AND
CAPACITY TO GIVE VACCINES THAN
WE HAVE VACCINES AVAILABLE. AND
SO I GUESS TECHNICALLY WE'D BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THAT. BUT I DON'T
SEE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PLACING ONE OF THOSE SITES HERE
BECAUSE AGAIN WE'RE IN A UNIQUE
SITUATION. THOSE TWO NEW
VACCINATION SITES NORTH OF SAN
DIEGO COUNTY ARE SET TO OPEN
FEB. 16 TO ALL THOSE ELIGIBLE
MARCELLA KAHLO. THANKS,
HEATHER. SAN DIEGO COUNTY IS
REPORTING ITS FIRST FLU DEATH
OF THE YEAR. ACCORDING TO THE
COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, A 65
OLD MAN FROM EAST COUNTY DIED
ON JANUARY 13TH. HE WAS ALSO
DIAGNOSED WITH THE CORONA
VIRUS. COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICER DR WILMA WOOTEN URGES
EVERYONE TO GET A FLU SHOT TO
AVOID CATCHING THE FLU AND COLD
19 AT THE SAME TIME A RECALL
CAMPAIGN AGAINST GOV. GAVIN
NEWSOM PICKED UP DOWNTOWN TODAY
WHERE THE ORGANIZER AND LOS
ANGELES CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE
JOE COLLINS GATHERED SIGNATURES
AT CIVIC CENTER PLAZA. SIMILAR
EVENTS PLANNED TO CHULA VISTA
AND OCEANSIDE THIS WEEKEND.
CRITICS SAY THE GOVERNOR HAS
MISHANDLED THE PANDEMIC
INCLUDING THE MONTHS OF
SHUTDOWNS. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE
GOVERNOR HAS CALLED THE EFFORT
A WASTE OF TAXPAYERS TIME AND
MONEY. NAVAL INVESTIGATORS ARE
LOOKING A DISTURBING INCIDENT
ONBOARD THE SAN DIEGO BASED USS
LAKE CHAMPLAIN. A BLACK SAILOR
FOUND A NOOSE NEAR HIS BED. THE
NAVY CONFIRMS AN OBJECT
RESEMBLING A NOOSE WAS FOUND IN
A BERTHING AREA AND SAYS IT
TAKES ALL ALLEGATIONS OF SAILOR
MISCONDUCT AND RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION SERIOUSLY. THE
NAVY SAYS IT CANNOT COMMENT
FURTHER DUE TO THE ONGOING
INVESTIGATION BUT ACCORDING TO
THE U T, THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE
HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND
ADMITTED LEAVING THE NOOSE AS A
JOKE. TODAY LOCAL LEADERS
CONDEMNED A POSSIBLE HATE CRIME
AS POLICE RELEASED NEW IMAGES
OF THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE. THEY
SAY THIS MAN YOU SEE ON THE
VIDEO HERE THREW BLACK PAINT
ONTO TWO BLACK LIVES MATTER
SIGNS AND HILLCREST OUTSIDE OF
UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND
RICH'S NIGHTCLUB LAST WEEK.
THIS MAN HERE. THESE PHOTOS
WERE TAKEN FROM SECURITY
CAMERAS IN THE AREA AND
RELEASED BY POLICE TODAY LAST
NIGHT. RAINBOW DOORS OUTSIDE
UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN WERE ALSO
RIPPED DOWN FOR A SECOND TIME
IN AS MANY WEEKS. MAYOR TODD
GLORIA SPOKE OUT ABOUT THE
VANDALISM. TODAY THERE IS NO
ROOM FOR HATE IN SAN DIEGO AND
WE WILL NOT OVERLOOK
MARGINALIZE THESE KINDS OF
ACTIONS. WE'LL ADDRESS THEM
HEAD ON. ANYONE WITH
INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL
THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT
.SAN DIEGO REPRESENTATIVE WAN
VARGAS IS HOPING TO MAKE IT A
LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR DACA
BENEFICIARIES TO GET HOME LOANS
.HE INTRODUCED THE
HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR DREAMERS ACT
TODAY. THE MEASURE WOULD HELP
ENSURE A PERSON'S DACA STATUS
DOES NOT AFFECT THEIR
ELIGIBILITY FOR A HOME LOAN.
YOU JUST NEED TO MEET OTHER
QUALIFICATIONS. LAST MONTH THE
FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION
ASSERTED THAT DACA RECIPIENTS