Other items in today’s report include
*John Marshall Awards for Todd Robinson and David Leshner
*JFS will help credit-challenged frontline workers to buy cars
SAN DIEGO — The weeks immediately following an election are exciting ones for officeholders, their campaign staffs, and for the staffs of outgoing officeholders. This is the time when legislators learn what committees they’ll serve on; when campaign workers learn whether they will be hired by the new officholders, and when the staff of retiring or defeated officeholders begin looking for other jobs, both inside and outside government.
Currently, Congresswoman-elect Sara Jacobs is attending an orientation session at the Capitol for new Congressmembers. Being just 31 years of age, she Tweeted on Thursday that she almost immediately was mistaken for a staffer, rather than a Member of Congress. That will be taken care of when she receives the congressional pin that helps sergeants-at-arms and Capitol police to recognize new members.
In San Diego, Mayor-elect Todd Gloria has announced that Paola Avila will serve as his chief of staff. Currently vice president of International Business Affairs for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Avila, a Bay Park resident, had previously served as a deputy chief of staff to Mayor Dick Murphy.
Gloria’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director will be Nick Serrano, who had served as the manager of his mayoral campaign and previous campaigns for the state Assembly. A resident of downtown San Diego, he will have a short commute to work at City Hall.
Jay Goldstone will serve as the city’s Interim Chief Operating Officer pending a search for a permanent replacement. Goldstone was the city’s Chief Operating Officer from 2008 to 2013, with stints as the chief financial officer. During the mayoral campaign, Avila and Goldstone both were named to Gloria’s “Back to Work San Diego” task force to rebuild San Diego’s economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, with U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) now the Vice President-elect, Gov. Gavin Newsom will get to appoint Harris’ successor. The LGBTQ Victory Fund is urging Newsom to appoint a member of the LGBTQ community to that position, mentioning specifically State Senate President pro tempore Toni Atkins (D- San Diego) or Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia.
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John Marshall Awards for Todd Robinson and David Leshner
U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr has announced John Marshall Awards in the Trial or Litigation Category for the two deputy U.S. Attorneys who successfully prosecuted the killers of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in 2010. Prosecutors David Leshner and Todd Robinson conducted two lengthy trials over a decade in the case that had been delayed by the need to extradite the suspects. Named for the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Marshall Award recognizes “extraordinary contributions and excellence in specialized areas of legal performance. U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer commented, “These are two of the finest lawyers in our district. David Leshner currently serves as our Criminal Division Chief, and Todd Robinson was a highly regarded Senior Litigation Counsel before the Senate confirmed him as a U.S. District Court judge on September 16, 2020. Their work exemplifies the best of what DOJ stands for: honor, integrity, professionalism, skill and the wholehearted dedication to seeking justice for a fallen law enforcement officer.”
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JFS will help credit-challenged frontline workers to buy cars
Jewish Family Service has announced a program to help credit-challenged frontline workers to purchase cars so they can more easily get to work.
“According to recent data, 25 percent of San Diego’s essential workers do not own their own automobiles, making it more difficult and time consuming to get to work each day,” the social service agency said in a press release. “To help JFS’s ‘Hand Up Cars’ program helps working families in the region achieve self sufficiency through financial education and reliable transportation. Clients receive financing to buy a good used car, in conjunction with financial literacy training, car maintenance education and personalized coaching.”
Michael Hopkins, JFS CEO commented, “For individuals and families, intently working on moving forward in the face of the pandemic, we want to help them achieve the independence and security that comes with owning their own vehicle. This is especially true for essential workers who do not have a reliable vehicle, have been victims of predatory car loans with high interest rates or rely on public transportation to get to work. Having access to a reliable personal vehicle at a low-interest rate can be a game changer. Where most lenders see a risk, we see a family.”
Loans of up to $10,000 will be made at 12 percent interest for a term of no more than 60 months, calculated so that monthly payment will not exceed $250, JFS said. To qualify, loan applicants must be employed; be “an involved parent or guardian of a minor child”; have a “low-to-moderate income with a challenged credit history;” be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license; and have the ability to replay the loan and costs related to ownership, including insurance, according to JFS. Applicants must also be able to afford a 10 percent down payment. More information is available via this website.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com