Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

“Pope Francis has backed same-sex civil unions for the first time, calling for the partnerships to be protected by law,” as Sky News and others are reporting. ‘Homosexual people have the right to be in a family,’ he said in a feature-length documentary. ‘They are children of God.’ However, he hasn’t deviated from the Catholic church’s opposition to gay marriage.”

“Election officials in Nevada County are reminding everyone that campaigning near voting centers and ballot drop boxes is not allowed,” as KCRA is reporting.

“Voters in the county expressed concern this week over their personal safety while using a drive-up ballot drop box at the Rood Center in Nevada City.

“‘There was a pro-Trump rally here,’ Nevada County Registrar of Voters Gregory Diaz said. ‘Many, many vehicles and people were not able to access the outdoor drop box that we have and our constituents felt they were intimidated — didn’t want to get out of their cars.'”

The video is here:

https://www.kcra.com/article/nevada-county-officials-address-voter-intimidation-concerns/34401986

“Two right-wing operatives infamous for inventing outlandish conspiracy theories face felony charges in Michigan for allegedly intimidating voters with inaccurate robocalls that discouraged residents in urban areas from casting their ballots by mail,” as The Washington Post is reporting.

“Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman were charged with four felonies of intimidating voters, conspiring to violate election law and using a computer to commit a crime, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday. Thousands of residents from at least five states received the robocall aimed at discouraging absentee voting at a time when many Americans are expected to vote by mail rather than in person during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Each charge against the pair carries a five- or seven-year sentence if they are convicted in Michigan — adding up to a maximum 12 years as some sentences for the charges would be concurrent. Wohl and Burkman, who live in Los Angeles and Arlington, Va., respectively, have not yet been arraigned, Nessel’s office said, adding that it is ‘too early to say if formal extradition will be necessary or if they will present themselves here voluntarily in the very near future.’

“Nearly 12,000 residents with phone numbers from the 313 area code in Detroit were targeted, Nessel’s office said. Attorneys general in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois reported similar robocalls made to urban residents, amounting to an estimated 85,000 calls nationally, according to the Michigan office.”

The rest of the article is here.

“Former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Friday night that she has tested positive for coronavirus, the latest major political figure to say they have Covid-19 after attending a Rose Garden event last Saturday where President Donald Trump announced his Supreme Court pick,” as CNN and others are reporting

“‘Tonight I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild (light cough) and I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians,’ Conway tweeted. ‘As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic.’

“Conway is now the sixth person who attended the event last week, where masks and social distancing were rare, known to have subsequently tested positive. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, top Trump aide Hope Hicks, Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and University of Notre Dame President the Rev. John Jenkins are all confirmed to be positive for Covid-19.

“Many of the guests for Trump’s announcement that he was nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett arrived at the event with masks on, but as the Rose Garden event got underway, masks were virtually nonexistent.”

The rest of the article is here.

“President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for coronavirus, the President announced early Friday morning,” as CNN and others are reporting.

“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!” Trump tweeted shortly before 1 am Friday.”

“The President had said earlier in the night that he planned to quarantine.”Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results.

“In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!” Trump tweeted Thursday night.

“Hicks has traveled with the President multiple times recently, including to the debate in Cleveland on Tuesday, and was seen boarding Marine One, along with several other of the President’s closest aides — Jared Kushner, Dan Scavino and Nicholas Luna — none of whom wore masks, on Wednesday as Trump was heading to a campaign rally in Minnesota.”

The rest of the article is here.

“President Trump’s counselor and confidant Hope Hicks has tested positive for COVID-19, after two days of traveling with him to Ohio and Minnesota. President Trump tweeted Thursday night that he and the First Lady would ‘begin our quarantine process’ while awaiting test results,” as CBS News and others are reporting.

“Hicks was photographed without a mask after Air Force One landed in Cleveland for the presidential debate, and she also traveled with the president aboard Marine One and Air Force One en route to Minnesota Wednesday. Bloomberg first reported Hicks’ positive test. 

“Hicks tested negative for COVID-19 Wednesday morning, which is why she boarded Air Force One, according to a senior administration official. But she then developed symptoms some time during the day and took a second test that came back positive.

“Mr. Trump acknowledged Thursday night in an interview with Fox News that Hicks ‘did test positive.'”

The rest of the article is here. 

A tribute on PBS is here:

Downtown Grass Valley presents its annual sidewalk sale. Thanks to the Merchants and to Marni of the GVDA: