Local
HRC ranks California companies high on Corporate Equality Index
But enforcement may be an issue
As the nation’s largest LGBT rights lobbying organization, the Human Rights Campaign often comes under strong criticism from the LGBT community for its strategic political decisions. But there is no doubt that the nation’s corporate decision-makers take HRC’s Corporate Equality Index very seriously as they seek the “best and brightest” employees and a loyal customer base.
This is not hyperbole. The governor of Georgia vetoed a pending anti-LGBT religious freedom bill after HRC President Chad Griffin reached out to Hollywood to cease production in the state, followed up by threats to boycott from the NBA and other corporate giants. The HRC threat of economic boycott over the abhorrent anti-LGBT HB2 helped Roy Cooper beat the incumbent Republican governor and the state legislature subsequently voted against the anti-LGBT law, though key provisions of the anti-LGBT law remain.
On Thursday, HRC released its 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) showing that i120 companies in California are among “a record number of the nation’s major companies and law firms are advancing vital policies and practices to protect LGBTQ workers around the world.”
“This year, a record-breaking 609 businesses earned the CEI’s top score of 100, up from 517 last year — a single-year increase of 18 percent. This record sets a new high water mark for corporate leadership over the 15-year history of the CEI,” according to an HRC press release. “In total, 947 companies and law firms were officially rated in the new CEI, up from 887 in last year’s. The report also unofficially rated 137 Fortune 500 companies, which have yet to respond to an invitation to participate in the CEI survey assessing their LGBTQ policies and practices.”
In California, the average ranking for the 120 companies and law firms is 91 with 81 earning 100 points, 15 earning 90 points and above, and 10 earning 80 points and above.
The report spells out its criteria and breaks the ranking down accordingly for a number of different areas such as Automotive, Banking, a slew of Computer-related companies, and Engineering and Construction, etc.
KB Home worked with “The Ellen Show” to build a house for a viewer in 2012. (Photo is a screen grab of a video)
In the latter category is the Los Angeles-based firm KB Home, which received a ranking of 35. The low ranking is achieved by having half-hearted non-discrimination policies and a zero in the category “positively engages the external LGBTQ community.” But why would KB Homes need to do any positive LGBT external outreach if it assumes LGBT viewers regularly watch HGTV or “The Ellen Show,” which has featured the construction company in the past. More recently, KB Home made news for the anti-gay rant spouted against comedienne Kathy Griffin and her boyfriend by CEO Jeffrey Mezger.
Mezger subsequently apologized after KB Home’s board of directors threatened to fire him if he did it again and cut his 2017 bonus by 25%.
It not clear if or how HRC included the incident in their deliberations.
HRC did consider the external factors at work regarding two complaints against Walmart brought by the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). As a result, HRC suspended its rating of the corporate giant, pending remedial action.
TLDEF Executive Director Jillian Weiss noted that the suspension is an opportunity to put companies on notice that their good policies might not be reaching the shop floor. “We hope this will deliver the message to Walmart and others that good corporate policy is not enough. It must be accompanied by strong enforcement mechanisms, or it is mere window dressing,” Weiss said in a press release. “TLDEF will continue to bring suits on behalf of transgender people who experience discrimination in employment, education, health care access and public accommodations.”
Overall, however, the news is good.
“At a time when the rights of LGBTQ people are under attack by the Trump-Pence Administration and state legislatures across the country, hundreds of top American companies are driving progress toward equality in the workplace,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The top-scoring companies on this year’s CEI are not only establishing policies that affirm and include employees here in the United States, they are applying these policies to their operations around the globe and impacting millions of people beyond our shores. In addition, many of these companies have also become vocal advocates for equality in the public square, including the dozens that have signed on to amicus briefs in vital Supreme Court cases and the 106 corporate supporters of the Equality Act. We are proud to have developed so many strong partnerships with corporate allies who see LGBTQ equality as a crucial issue for our country and for their businesses.”
Los Angeles County
Heat Advisory issued as temps expected to be in triple digits
LA County will see hot & breezy conditions Monday. High temperatures will reach 90 degrees. Temperatures at night will fall to 64 degrees
LOS ANGELES – The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory warning for most of Southern California on Monday. Temperatures while remaining lower in the 80s and 70s in the coastal areas are expected to exceed triple-digits for most of the inland areas in the region.
Los Angeles and Orange counties will see hot and breezy conditions Monday. High temperatures will reach 90 degrees. Temperatures at night will fall to 64 degrees.
The valleys and Inland Empire will be very hot and windy Monday as temperatures soar to 105 degrees. Evening temperatures will drop to 72 degrees.
Beaches will see temperatures rising to 78 degrees amid breezy conditions on Monday. Overnight lows will dip to 64 degrees.
Look for a 20% chance of thunderstorms in the mountain communities on Monday, with temperatures reaching a high of 89 degrees. Temperatures will fall to 55 degrees at night.
Desert conditions will be sunny and windy on Monday, with temperatures expected to rise to 104 degrees. Nighttime temperatures will drop to 69 degrees.
Detailed Forecast
Today
Sunny and hot, with a high near 106. East northeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Tonight
Clear, with a low around 69. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming east northeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny and hot, with a high near 104. Southeast wind around 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday Night
Clear, with a low around 68. West northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming east southeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday
Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night
Clear, with a low around 62. Breezy.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 94.
Thursday Night
Clear, with a low around 58.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 92.
Friday Night
Clear, with a low around 57.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 90.
Saturday Night
Clear, with a low around 56.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 89.
Orange County
Right-wing news anchor delivers obscenity-laden homophobic rant
“Guess what I came home to be greeted with? This fucking bullshit. [points to Rainbow Pride flag] What the hell is that?”
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Ca. – Alison Steinberg, an anchor and contributor for right-wing extremist media outlet One America News, launched into an obscenity-laden rant captured in a now viral video over an LGBTQ+ Pride flag flying in the beachfront business district of Huntington Beach commemorating Pride Month.
Steinberg had originally posted her video to her Instagram account but it was later removed.
In the rant Steinberg is heard saying: “And guess what I came home to be greeted with? This fucking bullshit. [points to Rainbow Pride flag] What the hell is that? Huntington Beach is the town of good old-fashioned hard-working American people, much less human. People who worked all through the COVID lockdown. Yes, that’s right. Huntington Beach never shut down through any of the COVID nonsense fuckery. And now we’re peddling this garbage?”
“What the hell is this? The only flag that should be up there is that American flag. This is a disgrace to our city and it should be taken down immediately. Whoever the hell is running this town needs to be fired. Make America great again. Make Huntington Beach great.”
Ron Filipkowski, a defense lawyer and former Assistant United States Attorney had captured the video and uploaded it to his Twitter account where many of his 402.9K followers retweeted it:
OAN Contributor Alison Steinberg is raging after returning home to Huntington Beach to find the city flying a Pride flag. (Language) pic.twitter.com/fk5rTg88hF
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) June 26, 2022
Southern California
Triple A: Gas Prices Drop on Increased Production, Economic Worries
The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $6.38, which is six cents lower than last week
LOS ANGELES – Gas prices dropped as local refineries reported their second-highest California-blend gasoline production levels of 2022 and economic concerns pushed down oil prices, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $6.38, which is six cents lower than last week.
The average national price is $4.94, which is seven cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $6.40 per gallon, which is six cents lower than last week, 30 cents higher than last month, and $2.14 higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $6.32, which is five cents lower than last week, 30 cents higher than last month, and $2.09 higher than last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $6.32, which is three cents lower than last week, 29 cents higher than last month and is $2.10 higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $6.29, which is four cents lower than last week, 30 cents higher than last month and $2.11 higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $6.36 average price is the same as last Thursday, 36 cents higher than last month and $2.22 higher than a year ago today.
“The state’s refineries produced more California-blend gasoline last week than in any other week since January of this year, according to the California Energy Commission,” said Auto Club spokesman Doug Shupe. “At the same time, Oil Price Information Service says concerns about the U.S. economy are pushing down oil and wholesale gasoline prices.”
The Auto Club reminds drivers they can save money on gasoline by shopping around virtually using a tool like the AAA Mobile app, which shows users the cheapest gas prices near them. AAA members can also take advantage of discounted gas prices at participating Shell gas stations by joining the Shell Fuel Rewards® program.
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on June 23, averages are:
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