Santa Ana residents to vote on rent control protections and maybe on noncitizen voting

• October 20, 2023

Santa Ana voters will be asked about the city’s rent control and just cause eviction ordinances – public support would make the laws harder to overturn in the future – and will likely also be polled if ballots in city elections should be extended to noncitizens.

City staffers have been asked to return at a later date with a drafted measure regarding noncitizen voting for the council’s approval – possibly in time for inclusion on the November 2024 ballot.

Also, a council majority on Tuesday put in place the requirement for a supermajority, meaning five votes, of the council to make changes to city laws setting rent caps and limiting when landlords can evict tenants. And the same four council members – Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, Thai Viet Phan, Benjamin Vazquez and Jessie Lopez – decided voters in November 2024 will be asked to affirm the need for the housing laws, which include setting rent controls annually at 3% or 80% of inflation.

If voters reject the measure, the laws will remain in place but could be overturned by a future vote of council; if voters support the measure, it would take a public vote to overturn the laws in the future.

The same four council members supported asking voters about extending participation in council elections. It isn’t the first time Santa Ana leaders have considered extending voting rights to the city’s noncitizen residents, who make up about 24% of the local population.

San Francisco voters in 2016 approved allowing noncitizens there to cast ballots in school board elections.

Councilmember David Penaloza, who opposed both measures along with Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Councilmember Phil Bacerra, said the council majority was making decisions without thinking about cost or implementation.

“Here we have a City Council majority putting the cart before the horse again,” Penaloza said. “It’s not so much that they’re bad ideas or bad ordinances, but it’s the process that they make these decisions under.”

Councilmember Thai Viet Phan said the least the council could do is leave it up for voters to decide.

“To me, giving these issues to our residents, to the voters of the city is sound and fair,” Councilmember Jessie Lopez agreed. “I am always going to be interested in understanding what the voters of the city think, because I believe that it can provide me with valuable insight.”

Giving noncitizens the right to vote for their city leaders is “important to make sure that our residents feel heard,” Phan said. “When we talk about who gets to vote, whose voices matter, what does that mean for us?”

Amezcua said her concern is there are too many unknowns surrounding the measure, not that she doesn’t support the immigrant community.

“This is not about immigrants,” Amezcua said. “This is about doing the right thing.”

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​ Orange County Register 

House Republicans reject Jim Jordan a third time for the speaker’s gavel as opposition deepens

• October 20, 2023

By LISA MASCARO, FARNOUSH AMIRI, STEPHEN GROVES and KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Jordan failed badly Friday on a third ballot for the House speaker’s gavel, rejected by even more Republicans from the conservative mainstream who warned the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no threats or promises could win their support.

The Republicans have no realistic or workable plan to unite the fractured GOP majority, elect a new speaker and return to the work of Congress that has been languishing since hard-liners ousted Kevin McCarthy at the start of the month.

In all, Jordan lost 25 Republican colleagues, leaving him far from the majority needed.

Ahead of the vote, Jordan showed no signs of stepping aside, insisting at a Capitol press conference: “The American people are hungry for change.”

Drawing on his Ohio roots, Jordan, who is popular with the GOP’s right-flank activist base of voters, positioned his long-shot campaign alongside the history of American innovators including the Wright brothers, urging his colleagues to elect him to the speakership.

McCarthy himself rose in the chamber to nominate Jordan, portraying him as a skilled legislator who reaches for compromise. That drew scoffs of laughter from the Democratic side of the aisle.

McCarthy said of Jordan, “He is straightforward, honest and reliable.”

Democrats nominated Leader Hakeem Jeffries, with Rep. Katherine Clark calling Jordan, who refused to certify the 2020 election, “a threat to democracy.”

“We need a speaker worthy of wielding the gavel,” she said.

But after two failed votes, Jordan’s third attempt at the gavel did not end any better — in large part because more centrist Republicans are revolting over the nominee and the hardball tactics being used to win their votes. They have been bombarded with harassing phone calls and even reported death threats.

In fact, the hard-charging Judiciary chairman lost rather than gained votes despite hours of closed-door talks, no improvement from the 20 and then 22 Republicans he lost in early rounds this week.

For more than two weeks the stalemate has shut down the U.S. House, leaving a seat of American democracy severely hobbled at a time of challenges at home and abroad. The House Republican majority appears to have no idea how to end the political turmoil and get back to work.

With Republicans in majority control of the House, 221-212, any candidate can lose only a few detractors. It appears there is no Republican at present who can win a clear majority, 217 votes, to become speaker.

“He doesn’t have the votes to be speaker,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said after a late Thursday meeting when Jordan sought to hear detractors out and shore up support.

The holdouts want “nothing” from Jordan, Gimenez said, adding that some of the lawmakers in the meeting simply called on Jordan to drop out of the race.

One extraordinary idea, to give the interim speaker pro tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry, more powers for the next several months to at least bring the House back into session and conduct crucial business, was swiftly rejected by Jordan’s own ultra-conservative allies.

A “betrayal,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind.

Next steps were highly uncertain as angry, frustrated Republicans predict the House could essentially stay closed for the foreseeable future — perhaps until the mid-November deadline for Congress to approve funding or risk a federal government shutdown.

“We’re trying to figure out if there’s a way we can get back with a Republican-only solution,” said veteran legislator Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.

“That’s what normal majorities do. What this majority has done is prove it’s not a normal majority.”

What was clear was that Jordan was refusing to step aside, appearing determined to wait out his foes even as his path to become House speaker was all but collapsing.

“What we saw with Speaker McCarthy in the 15 rounds is that he went down first and then he came back,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., referring to January’s historic election. “That’s where we are with Jordan.”

But earlier, Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., said “it’s not going to happen.”

Many view Jordan, a founding member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, as too extreme for a central seat of U.S. power, second in line to the presidency.

“Who normalized Jim Jordan?” asked Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, reiterating that his party was “ready, willing and able” to partner with more traditional Republicans on a path to re-open the House.

“One thing I cannot stomach or support is a bully,” said a statement from Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, who voted against Jordan on the second ballot and said she received “credible death threats.”

A closed-door meeting Thursday to regroup grew heated at times with Republican factions blaming one another for sending their majority into chaos, lawmakers said.

When Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a chief architect of the ouster of the speaker two weeks ago, rose to speak, McCarthy told him it was not his turn.

“We’re shaking up Washington, D.C. We’re breaking the fever. And, you know what, it’s messy,” Gaetz said later, saying he had no regrets over the past weeks of havoc.

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Elevating McHenry to an expanded speaker’s role could be a possible off-ramp for the crisis, but it would not be as politically simple as it might seem.

Republicans are loath to partner with the Democrats in a bipartisan way on the arrangement, and it’s highly unlikely Republicans could agree to give McHenry more powers on their own, since their hard-liners don’t like it.

McHenry himself has brushed off attempts to take the job more permanently after he was appointed to the role after the unprecedented ouster of McCarthy more than two weeks ago.

To win over GOP colleagues, Jordan had relied on backing from Trump, the party’s front-runner in the 2024 election, and groups pressuring rank-and-file lawmakers for the vote. But they were not enough and in fact backfired on some.

Jordan has been a top Trump ally, particularly during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack by the former president’s backers who were trying to overturn the 2020 election he lost to Biden. Days later, Trump awarded Jordan a Medal of Freedom.

First elected in 2006, Jordan has few bills to his name from his time in office. He also faces questions about his past.

Some years ago, Jordan denied allegations from former wrestlers during his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University who accused him of knowing about claims they were inappropriately groped by an Ohio State doctor. Jordan has said he was never aware of any abuse.

​ Orange County Register 

Economic ‘cracks’ will widen to mild recession in late 2024, CSUF economists say

• October 20, 2023

With the war on inflation far from over and continued economic weakness, a recession is likely to hit Southern California and the rest of the nation in the second half of 2024, Cal State Fullerton economists predicted Thursday, Oct. 19.

But it will be a “normal” or “garden variety” recession, not a Great Recession like the one that devastated the global economy in 2008-12, university economists said in their fall forecast.

Also see: Fed chair: Slower growth may be needed to conquer high inflation

And although government spending is masking the effect of “the fastest (Federal Funds) rate hike cycle in the past 40 years,” a soft landing for the economy is unlikely, they said.

“Like the Energizer Bunny, (the economy) keeps going,” Anil Puri, director of the Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting, told Orange County business leaders at the Disneyland Hotel.

Also see: Household balance sheets strong but high rates could add strain

But, he added, inflation remains well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, leading to at least one or two more interest rate hikes in the months ahead. At the same time, employment growth is slowing, bank deposits are falling and consumer defaults are on the rise.

“We are at a turning point,” Puri said. “Things are starting to shift, and we have made our prediction of a mild recession sometime next year.”

Orange County’s economy appears to be faring far better than the nation as a whole, particularly when it comes to job growth, the forecast said. Although Orange County’s job growth has slowed this year — and has been hindered by the county’s high housing costs — it’s still more than twice its 20-year average.

Housing woes: Mortgage applications hit 28-year low as rates keep rising

High interest rates “don’t seem to be affecting Orange County as much as the rest of the country,” Puri said.

U.S. economic growth — as measured by the Real Gross Domestic Product — is projected to hit 2.2% this year but drop to 0.6% in 2024 before rebounding to 1.6% in 2025, the forecast said.

“Cracks are already starting to appear underneath all the good headline numbers,” Woods Center Co-Director Mira Farka said during Thursday’s 81-minute presentation.

Credit card delinquencies are edging up. Auto loan defaults are at their highest level since the Great Recession. If corporate bankruptcies continue at their current pace for the rest of the year, they will hit a high not seen since 2010.

Other key economic indicators, like lower long-term bond rates and negative Conference Board Leading Index numbers “have been ringing alarm bells that a recession is around the corner,” the forecast said.

Southern California is expected to follow national economic trends, although Orange County job growth has outperformed regional, state and national levels, Puri said.

Since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in March 2022, Orange County employment increased 3.7%, compared with a U.S. rate of 3.6% and a California rate of 3.2%. In Los Angeles County, employment is up 2.8%, while the number of jobs is up a mere 0.5% in the Inland Empire.

“Look at Orange County,” Puri said. “Since the Fed started raising interest rates in March of last year, Orange County has done quite well. In fact, better than the rest of the region.”

Other forecast highlights include:

— The Woods Center index of Orange County business sentiment — based on a quarterly survey of Orange County executives — shows business confidence improving over the past 15 months.

“In general Orange County Business people have been feeling pretty good in the last year or so,” Puri said.

Survey responses show Orange County businesses expect sales to remain steady and don’t plan any layoffs.

— However, the Cal State Fullerton forecast for Orange County is “very similar” to the national forecast.

“We expect Orange County payroll job growth to decline,” Puri said, dropping from 5.3% in 2022 to 1.9% this year and 0.3% next year.

Employment levels are forecast to decline 0.1% in Los Angeles County next year and to fall 1.5% next year in the Inland Empire.

— Southern California home prices show no signs of weakening in the year ahead. That’s good news for homeowners, where home equity (or value after deducting mortgage debt) for a typical Orange County home increased by an “unprecedented” $430,000 since the month before the pandemic began.

— On the other hand, home affordability fell to the lowest level on record, with just 20% of Orange County households able to afford to buy a home.

“It’s a very difficult situation for people who don’t own their home,” Puri said.

— That high cost of housing is sapping the workforce in Orange County and throughout the region, driving workers to Texas, Arizona and Nevada in search of cheaper homes.

Orange County had a net population loss of 4.7%, compared with a loss of 11.5% in L.A. County and 3.7% in San Bernardino County, Puri said. Riverside County had a net population gain of 2.8%.

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​ Orange County Register 

These Southern California women, minority business owners are hiring, expanding

• October 20, 2023

As 2023 winds down, women and minority small business owners expect their revenue to increase in the coming year and many plan to hire more workers, according to a new report from Bank of America.

The “2023 Women & Minority Business Owner Spotlight” found that nearly half of women-owned small businesses plan to expand in 2024. The study shows 63% expect revenue growth, 74% plan to secure additional funding and 32% plan to hire more workers.

More than half of women owners surveyed say they have equal access to capital compared to 2022 (up from 48% a year ago) and 90% are modifying their daily business routines to accommodate caregiving, with a third taking time away from work due to those responsibilities.

Leah Niehaus, owner of LCSW & Associates, a Hermosa Beach business that provides mental health counseling, psychotherapy and group therapy to families and adolescents, said her operation is on an upswing.

She recently secured a $25,000 Small Business Down Payment Grant from Bank of America that’s designed to help eligible small businesses buy commercial real estate to expand. The bank also helped her get an SBA loan.

“I was able to buy the suite we’re in and also expand into the space next door,” the 48-year-old Manhattan Beach entrepreneur said. “This will expand the business from a three-therapy suite to six suites, and it will double our services.”

Neihaus, who provided a 10% downpayment to secure her grant, employs five clinicians but hopes to add two more. The expansion, she says, couldn’t have come at a better time.

“The pandemic has created a situation where more young adults and families are in need of mental health counseling,” she said. “As things shut down, there was a tremendous amount of depression and anxiety. Many people felt a sense of isolation, and people were losing their jobs and marriages were falling apart.”

During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Neihaus said her employees wore masks and met with families and groups outdoors, often in apartment courtyards. Students who were forced to learn through ZOOM sessions and classroom settings wearing masks lost out on vital social interaction, she said.

“We are helping kids get connected again,” she said. “There are lingering effects, but things have improved.”

Marisol Amavizca Evans, who owns SoCal Real Estate and Management Inc. in Diamond Bar, is also expanding, thanks to a $25,000 grant from BofA’s Small Business Down Payment Grant program. The money is allowing her to buy her own office. She’s expanding from 500 square feet to a new 1,200-square-foot location. (Photo courtesy of Marisol Amavizca Evans)

Angela Antonio, a regional executive with BofA’s small business division, said the grants have opened doors for women and minority entrepreneurs.

“We’re getting them to be more optimistic about being able to own their own commercial real estate properties,” she said. “And our SBA (loan) pipeline is the largest it’s ever been. We’re up 250% from 2021.”

The BofA report shows inflation is the top concern (79%) among women small business owners, followed by commodity prices (66%), interest rates (65%), the US political climate (65%) and the possibility of another recession (63%).

Hispanic/Latino owners

Forty-five percent of Hispanic/Latino small business owners expect their local economy to improve, down from 52% last year, and 51% plan to expand their business over the next 12 months compared with 59% last year.

Hiring expectations are also slightly lower in that demographic, with 43% planning to expand their payrolls next year, compared with 45% in 2022.

But there are bright spots.

Marisol Amavizca Evans, who owns Socal Real Estate and Management Inc. in Diamond Bar, is also expanding, thanks to a $25,000 grant from BofA’s Small Business Down Payment Grant program.

Like Neihaus, the money has allowed her to buy her own office. She’s expanding from 500 square feet to a new 1,200-square-foot location and also plans to hire more employees.

“When I was initially looking to purchase this property I was told I’d have a hard time getting a loan approved,” Evans said. “But I don’t have to pay back this grant — it’s great.”

Black owners

Black small business owners are also feeling optimistic, with 86% expecting a revenue increase in 2024 compared with 72% in 2022.

Seventy-one percent plan to expand their business over the next year 56% plan to hire more employees on the next 12 months, up from 44% last year.

BofA’s data was drawn from a survey of 1,079 small U.S. business owners with two to 99 employees and whose annual revenue ranged from $100,000 to nearly $5 million.

​ Orange County Register 

Which Southern California airport do travelers love most?

• October 20, 2023

Omara “Bombino” Moctar performing for ticketed passengers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Terminal 1 on Oct. 2. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

We’re coming up on peak holiday flying season. It’s with disbelief, consternation and even dread that we realize the year is almost gone, we won’t achieve our New Year’s resolutions (again) and we must make myriad airline reservations for myriad people for myriad far-flung holiday festivities.

“Los Angeles area airports,” we type into myriad search engines, staring blankly at the choices.

SoCal residents have many more choices than most. There’s the gargantuan LAX, where you can nab direct flights all over the world. The large John Wayne Airport, with those thrillingly steep ascents but often steeper prices. There’s the medium-sized Hollywood Burbank, little Ontario and littler Palm Springs and Long Beach, a charming time machine back to 1955.

Spoiler alert: No SoCal airport emerged as No. 1 in its category on the annual North America Airport Satisfaction Study by consumer data firm J.D. Power. But they’re doing better.

The survey measures overall traveler satisfaction with terminal facilities, arrivals/departures, baggage claim, the security experience, check-in/baggage check and food, beverage and retail choices. It slices them into mega (including LAX), large (John Wayne) and medium (Hollywood/Burbank) categories.

Hollywood Burbank Airport  (File photo by John McCoy, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

So how’d they do? Drum roll, please:

• In 2021, LAX ranked 15th among North America’s 20 mega airports. In 2022, it dropped to 18th. This year, it climbed up to 14th. So it’s getting better, even as construction erupts all around.

• In 2021, with the pandemic raging, there wasn’t enough sample to rank John Wayne. But Orange County’s airport won the silver medal in 2022 and 2023, holding on to second place among all 27 large airports. Nearby San Diego International trailed way behind at No. 23.

• In 2021, there was not enough sample to rank Hollywood/Burbank either. But in 2022, it ranked last among North America’s medium-sized airports, climbing to second-to-last place this year.

Passenger loads at Ontario, Palm Springs and Long Beach are too small to make the survey, officials at J.D. Power said.

Who were the big winners? No. 1 spots went to Detroit Metropolitan in the mega category; Tampa International in the large category; and Indianapolis International in the medium category.

When it comes to on-time performance among SoCal airports, LAX was tops for on-time arrivals and second only to wee Palm Springs International for on-time departures (which isn’t really a fair fight), according to federal data we crunched in the spring.

Stars, works-in-progress

We caught up with Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power, while he was sitting aboard a plane at San Diego International.

Mega LAX saw improvements across the board this year. Some of that is because some construction is getting closer to completion, but there may be backsliding as other construction projects get underway.

“LAX is just about the biggest construction project in the history of Los Angeles, including building the 405 and the 101,” Taylor said as flight announcements blared. “The way LAX is laid out, in a giant horseshoe, was great when it had 40 million passengers. It’s not so great with 80 million passengers. They’re building that people mover — but you have to look at the natural tendencies of Southern Californians to get in the car and drive where they want to go.”

Though LAX’s overall rank was toward the bottom half for mega airports, it ranked in the upper half for food and beverage offerings, the survey found.

Hollywood Burbank did not fare well among its medium-sized brethren. It’s one of the more difficult airports to access, it’s in desperate need of upgraded food and beverage offerings and the terminal also needs upgrading, travelers said.

A passenger jet approaches the runway to land at John Wayne Airport in 2022.  (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Meanwhile, John Wayne is a star in the large airport category.

It’s got solid food, beverage and retail offerings, is relatively easy to navigate, has decent parking right beside the airport — and it’s had a serenity makeover. Extraneous TV screens have been removed. The volume of announcements has dropped. It’s decorated in a calming taupe pallet. It has one of the smoothest TSA experiences, does well in the baggage claim department and can lay claim to having seized the No. 1 spot in years past.

“Compared to LAX, it looks fantastic,” Taylor said.

John Wayne Airport Director Charlene Reynolds was delighted with the feedback.

“We are pleased that our efforts to elevate the guest experience are reflected in the customer satisfaction survey,” she said in a prepared statement. “The positive recognition we have received from guests and travel industry experts is a testament to our attention to detail.”

But not everyone much loves the rankings.

“Hollywood Burbank Airport does not currently subscribe to the J.D. Power Airport Satisfaction report. A paid subscription includes detailed information about results and methodology — where, when and how passengers are surveyed, and how many passengers take part. Since we don’t have access to that data, we aren’t in a position to accurately comment on BUR’s ranking,” said spokeswoman Nerissa Sugars by email.

For the record, Taylor said some 28,000 people are queried for the survey.

Busy season

The airline industry continues to heal pandemic-inflicted wounds and pent-up demand continues to drive traffic ever higher. The wise advice is, as always, to shop early, aim for off-peak days and, unfortunately, prepare to pay more.

The good news is that you’re likely to have a better airport experience than before.

Despite the stresses of travel’s resurgence and the crush of passengers and bags, airport satisfaction is on the upswing just about everywhere, the survey found. Even New York’s LaGuardia, long one of the most miserable hellholes in the nation, has invested heavily in modernization and is reaping big praise. We hope some of that pixie dust spills onto Newark International.

Happy passengers spend a lot more money at the airport, Taylor said.

Demolition of an old rental car hub to make way for the new LAX Metro Connector in 2021. The project will connect LA Metro buses and trains to LAX via the new people mover, under construction in background. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)The most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that the number of flights rose 2.5% in July over the same month last year, and that U.S. airlines carried 87.8 million passengers. When adjusted for seasonality, July enplanements are up 0.3% from June and down 6.0% from the all-time high reached in January 2020, it said.

Price Waterhouse Cooper predicts that the summer travel boom will continue into winter, with travel-related spending increasing a healthy 12% over last year.

Oy! I need to get the kid home from college for Thanksgiving. And back to school again. And then home again for the winter holidays. And then the whole family to Florida to see my 96-year-old father. And then the kid back to college. …

I’ll be lucky if I only spend 12% more than last year. Fire up the credit cards, and happy holidays!

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​ Orange County Register 

From pumpkins to costumes, here’s how to go green this Halloween

• October 20, 2023

One frightening topic that isn’t inspiring any horror movies or haunted mazes this Spooky Season is climate change.

(Knott’s or Universal, feel free to run with this idea for next year: “Maze 4°C” has a horrifying ring to it!)

The bad news is that ignoring climate change is a bit like running upstairs to hide from the bad guy. It’s gonna find you eventually, and you will have lost critical time to make choices that could have actually upped your odds of survival.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to make Halloween more sustainable without sacrificing the traditions that make this season so fun. So we rounded up some ideas, most of which can save you money to boot.

Climate-friendlier costumes

The rule of thumb with living more sustainably is the less new stuff we buy the better. That’s because making and transporting goods generally creates emissions, and most items eventually end up in landfills.

So instead of doling out too much money on a costume that was very likely shipped from China to be worn once, consider buying a used costume, renting one or making your own.

For used options, consider setting up a costume swap with friends or at a local community space. You can also check out online resellers, such as OfferUp, Poshmark, thredUP or Facebook Marketplace. Better yet, try a local Buy Nothing group, where people give away used clothing and other items. Or browse your local thrift shop for a costume or the makings of one.

“Halloween is Goodwill’s busiest season,” said Marla Eby, spokesperson for Goodwill Southern California.

“We are seeing many shoppers save money this year by skipping the high-priced big box or party stores and, instead, shopping their own closet and supplementing with pieces they find at Goodwill SoCal to create their own unique costume.”

Use social media sites like TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram to find DIY ideas. “Weird Barbie,” from the “Barbie” movie, is one of the most searched-for costumes in California this year, per an analysis by clothing company boohoo.

You can rent costumes online, too, from sites like Rent the Runway. There are also costume rental shops all around Southern California, such as The Theatre Company in Upland. Just don’t expect this to be a cheap option, since rental costumes tend to be high quality and factor in costs for cleaning.

If you didn’t rent, once Halloween is over, sell or donate your costume so someone else can put it to use next year.

Decorate wisely

Try to limit what you buy new when it comes to decorations, too, by once again swapping with friends or buying used items through online marketplace or secondhand shops.

You can also get creative with stuff you can find around your home and yard, such as using black construction paper to make flying bats, cardboard from boxes to make tombstones or branches and twigs to make a witch’s broom.

Focus on compostable options such as gourds, giant corn stalks, fall leaves, hay bales and other natural materials. These can play scary with the right lighting, or the straight autumn theme can carry through to Thanksgiving.

Avoid using fake cobwebs around your yard. They can trap bugs and birds or end up in nests, where they can pose choking hazards to baby birds. Most also break down into harmful microplastics.

When it comes to spooky lights, swapping out incandescent bulbs for LED lights will reduce electricity use by 75% or more, trimming your utility bill along the way. The change also lowers the fire risk, since LED lights don’t get hot.

But before you throw old lights out, try to recycle them. Your local waste hauler or hardware store might take them. You also can donate them or paint the bulbs and use them to make new decorations such as Halloween wreaths.

Also, consider turning lights off before you go to bed; you’ll save electricity and reduce light pollution that can harm wildlife. Using a programmed timer makes it simple.

Pumpkins aren’t trash

About four-fifths of the nearly 2 billion pounds of pumpkins grown in the United States each year are used for Halloween celebrations, according to data from the Department of Energy. And most of those carved-up pumpkins end up in landfills once the holiday is over, where they release planet-warming methane gas as they decompose.

The fix here is simple: Don’t think of pumpkins as trash.

For starters, when you scoop out the insides during carving, save the seeds and roast them with some butter or oil and seasonings. (Pro tip: make sure the seeds are quite dry otherwise they won’t crisp up in the oven.)

Pumpkin flesh also makes for yummy soups and pies. Just be sure to ditch all single-use serving items, such as paper plates and plastic cups, for those fall meals.

After Halloween is over, see if you can help kickstart the composting process by finding a pumpkin-smash event near you. Some cities also are starting to collect pumpkins as they do Christmas trees, to make sure they don’t end up in landfills. You can also see if local sanctuaries, farms or zoos take pumpkins to feed their animals. Otherwise, put old pumpkins in your green bin or compost pile.

Growing and transporting pumpkins for Halloween still takes a lot of resources. So, when possible, buy locally grown pumpkins. And for next year, consider planting your own vine if you have the space.

Trick or treat options

It’s hard to avoid creating waste if you want to participate in traditional trick or treating festivities, since candy has to be individually wrapped for hygiene and convenience. So unless you wanna go the non-candy route by, say, handing out fruit or coins, your best option here is to search for eco-friendly candy options that are sustainably made, ideally as close to home as possible, and come with compostable wrappers.

Just know that you’re going to pay for those perks. And beware of “greenwashing,” where companies promote products as sustainable but don’t live up to the hype. Search the company through services such as EthicalMadeEasy and look for trusted certifications such as LEED, B Corp or Green Business Bureau.

As for where you go trick or treating, the most climate-friendly option is to stick within walking distance of home. Otherwise, opt for public transportation or use an electric vehicle or hybrid and carpool when possible.

Instead of carrying plastic pumpkins or other buckets, use an old pillow case or reusable tote bag. And consider making your trick-or-treating trip even greener by collecting errant wrappers or other trash you see along your route.

If you end up with more candy than you can (or should) eat after Halloween, see if you can give it away at work, to neighbors, at local food banks or to people experiencing homelessness. As a last resort, take wrappers off and throw the candy in the compost bin.

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​ Orange County Register 

Corpses, ashes and unborn children — none count as passengers in carpool lanes

• October 20, 2023

Q. I was traveling east on the 91 Freeway in the No. 1 lane with moderate traffic when a hearse went by in the HOV lane with only a driver in the car. So if a corpse was in a coffin in the back, does that qualify as two people in the vehicle? If that is true, then can you have a vase with a cremated relative in your passenger seat and qualify as two people?

– Tom Anderson, Lake Forest

A. No, and so no again.

“A corpse or a vase of cremated remains does not qualify as a second passenger,” said Mitch Smith, an officer and spokesman for the California Highway Patrol out of its Westminster station house. “It’s the same thing as an unborn child, it’s not going to count.”

Smith offered up other unsuccessful attempts officers hear or see:

— The driver claims to have avoided a collision.

— “I was just using this lane to pass.”

— A Halloween mask attached to the passenger’s headrest. “That happens frequently,” Smith said.

Driving tip: If you are solo and take a carpool lane by accident, don’t cross the double-white or double-yellow lines to correct your mistake. Wait until there is a legal break to exit. Getting cited for driving solo in a carpool lane is not a moving violation – but crossing the double lines is and can affect your insurance or at least send you to traffic school.

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Q. Honk: My wife and I are regular readers of your column. We have a question: Who is responsible in state government for the maintenance of highways, specifically the drainage openings along the center divider in Los Angeles? There are drainage slots every so many feet. The slots have been full of dirt topped off by grass. If we have major rain ahead, these drainage systems simply can’t do their job and keep giant puddles off of the freeway if clogged, which could result in accidents. Several years ago we witnessed a major six-car accident on one of these areas on the 91. Something has to be done!

– Stan and Kathy Gronos, Gardena

A. Thanks for reading, folks, and keeping bread on Honk’s table.

Sounds like a Caltrans matter. Officials with the state agency have told Honk over the years they appreciate the public pointing out potential problems to them.

You can do so by filling out a form at csr.dot.ca.gov.

Caltrans’ policy is to respond to you within 10 calendar days.

HONKIN’ FACT: There is a little-known practice among airline passengers call “skiplagging” or “hidden-city travel.” They book a flight with a stop in the city they really want to end up in to save a lot of money and hop off there and not at the final destination according to the ticket. But at least some airlines fight hard against the practice, leaning on the “contract” travelers agree to when buying a ticket, and sometimes the carriers even deploy penalties (Source: The New York Times).

To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. X, formerly Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk

​ Orange County Register 

GOP paralysis deepens as time ticks to shore up crucial allies

• October 20, 2023

Midday Thursday, it appeared that ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus co-founder Jim Jordan was ready to step aside from the speaker’s race, thus allowing Republicans in the House of Representatives to end weeks of political stunts and join with Democrats to elevate Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry’s powers.

Instead, House Republicans again failed to display any semblance of leadership and elect a Speaker of the House, despite a number of international and domestic crises, and continued to paralyze our government. 

Indeed, this dysfunction comes at a critical moment for global affairs as the Middle East is engulfed in a full-blown war between Israel and Hamas, while Ukraine continues to battle against Russia’s invasion. 

Further, we are barreling towards a government shutdown later in November when the continuing resolution expires. With the House frozen, Congress will be unable to prevent the economic consequences such a shutdown would have.

To be sure, the United States cannot expect to lead the free world and support our allies if we are unable get our own house in order. Failing to quickly empower McHenry with the ability to move legislation would be a mistake, as House Republicans risk permanently undermining American credibility and respect around the globe.

Yet, some in the GOP are not finished causing chaos, risking America’s credibility around the world, and undermining Republican’s own electoral viability ahead of 2024. When it looked like Jordan may step aside for McHenry, Rep. Jim Banks said that, “Expanding powers for a temporary Speaker is a dangerous precedent and exactly what the Democrats hoped would happen.”

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz also came out in opposition to empowering McHenry. As Republicans would likely need buy in from Democrats to overcome the extremists in their caucus who are the root cause of the current situation, Greene slammed the idea as “The wrong thing to do,” while Gaetz said, “I’m against speaker lite. It’s constitutional desecration.”

Notably, Republicans do not seem to care that their constant infighting is harming their own political stock ahead of crucial 2024 elections. Last week, Majority Leader Steve Scalise was forced to withdraw from the Speaker’s race after he could not garner enough support to bring his bid to the floor. Jordan played a significant role in undermining Scalise’s bid and then became the Republicans’ nominee for speaker. 

Scalise allies along with moderate Republicans in Biden-won congressional districts are particularly wary of voting for Jordan, a prominent election denier and abortion rights opponent who will create additional political vulnerability for the Republican conference in 2024.

Jordan rallied his allies against Scalise despite offering to nominate him on the floor, and top Jordan-backer former President Donald Trump and fellow Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene even raised questions about Scalise’s health. Fox News host Sean Hannity also got involved on Jordan’s behalf as well by using both his television program and personally calling Jordan’s opponents to apply pressure within the fractured GOP.

After toppling Scalise’s bid, Jordan took his nomination to the House floor on Tuesday and subsequently lost 20 Republican votes, finishing with a lower total than Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and well short of the 217 votes required to win. After a second attempt on Wednesday, Jordan did not make any progress and instead lost two additional votes. He then seemed prepared to temporarily withdraw from consideration and endorse the empowerment of McHenry, but House Republicans reversed course on Thursday and Jordan is now seeking a third vote.

The entire Republican delegation from California backed Jordan the second time around, taking the risk of supporting Jordan in the hopes that the House could move on with its business. In his official statement, Rep. Darrell Issa of San Diego County clearly recognized the harm this is doing to the country, saying, “Let’s come together, elect Jim our Speaker, and show the American people how we can lead again.”

Unfortunately for Issa and House Republicans, time and again this does not come to fruition. Not only are they unable to compromise with Democrats, but they are also unable to compromise with themselves – leaving their conference totally unable to govern. 

In fact, it is increasingly difficult to see a way for any Republican to get the 217 votes to become Speaker of the House without reaching across the aisle for Democratic support.

This scenario appears to be a non-starter for Republicans, which led to the initial momentum for passing a resolution empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to temporarily conduct the work of the speaker, allowing the House to function.

Quite simply, the House is running out of time to get its act together. Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appear eager to swiftly pass a bipartisan package that includes military aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan as well as more funding for the nation’s southern border. 

Meanwhile, a paralyzed House risks undermining the pledge President Biden made in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. “Isn’t going anywhere. We’re going to stand with you.”

Unfortunately, this effort will be for naught if Republicans in the House are unable to organize and unite around a leader. Furthermore, if Jordan somehow does climb the steep hill ahead to become speaker, he will likely oppose Ukraine aid as well as nearly any other initiative coming from the Biden administration. 

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Ultimately, empowering McHenry would be a step in the right direction. With Vladimir Putin on an official visit to Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Iran threatening to involve itself in the war between Israel and Hamas, which would lead to a regional, if not global war, America’s strongest adversaries are on the march. Congress cannot afford to waste any more time in a rudderless stalemate as our enemies abroad attempt to establish a new world order.

Further, a possible government shutdown, while war rages on two continents, could cause devastating damage to the economy, our national security, and America’s global reputation. Republicans would be wise to avoid this outcome, both for the sake of the American people and if they want to have any chance of holding the House next year.

To strengthen America’s resolve on the world stage and avoid potential economic catastrophe, it is essential for congressional Republicans to end this circus, get their house in order, and work with moderate Democrats to responsibly govern and address the serious threats facing our country and our world.

Douglas Schoen is a Democratic political consultant.

​ Orange County Register