Bee Opinionated: Election endorsements + Sherri Papini’s kidnapping saga comes to an end

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Hi again from Robin Epley at The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board. It’s almost Election Day again, are you ready?

Your favorite local editorial board has been keeping busy, speaking to candidates and measure proponents for nearly every race on the slate this November 8, and we’ve started to roll out our endorsements ahead of mail-in ballots going out to homes across the state.

Opinion

Here’s a few of the endorsements we’ve made thus far:

For Rocklin City Council: “Dave Bass is a mild-mannered military veteran and lawyer who has advocated for abused elders and wildfire victims. Then there’s Matthew Oliver, the controversial Placer County preacher and restaurant owner who defied public health measures during the pandemic. When The Sacramento Bee’s Editorial Board met with both candidates recently, Oliver made his general disdain for politicians clear — a curious position given that he is running for elected office. He also trolled Bass’ closing statement by repeatedly writing ‘lol’ in the chat function.”

For Sacramento City Council’s North Natomas seat: “Longtime Natomas school board member and attorney Lisa Kaplan, the top vote-getter in the primary, has decades of relevant experience as an elected official charged with overseeing a public budget. In an interview with The Bee’s Editorial Board, she demonstrated an unmistakable advantage when it comes to her mastery of the issues facing Sacramento. In a runoff election against realtor Alyssa Lozano, Kaplan is the clear choice for the job.”

For California’s Board of Equalization, 1st District: “The seat representing the board’s 1st District, which includes Sacramento, Modesto and Fresno, is held by El Dorado Hills Republican Ted Gaines, a former state senator who failed to gain traction as a gubernatorial recall candidate last year. His upstart opponent is Democrat Jose Altamirano, a manager at the California State Compensation Insurance Fund who has served on municipal commissions in West Sacramento… Unlike his opponent, who declined to meet with the Editorial Board, Altamirano was willing to answer questions about why he is the better candidate for this job — and we believe he is.”

Read these endorsements and all to come, right up until Election Day on The Bee’s elections website.

“So Much Dishonor Laid Before You”

Sherri Papini, the Shasta County “super mom” who falsely claimed to have been kidnapped in 2016 by two Latinas who “tortured” her with loud music was sentenced this week, and Metro Columnist Melinda Henneberger was in the courtroom when it finally happened.

Henneberger argued that Papini was lucky to live in California, “where the public is less bloodthirsty than in some other parts of the country.”

“Not inconsequentially, (Papini) contributed to the cynicism of generous people, and gave those who never believe anyone anyway one more reason not to care,” she wrote. “Here’s a sentence I don’t get to say all that often, in a world in which so many of the wrong people are incarcerated: I agreed with the judge.”

Papini was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Opinion of the Week

“No, nein, non, nyet — and in 22 other languages.” — Jack Ohman on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s denial in as many languages as it takes to protest that he’s not running for President in 2024… or at least, to protest the timing of his announcement.

Got thoughts? What would you like to see in this newsletter every week? Got a story tip or an opinion to tell the world? Let us know what you think about this email and our work in general by emailing us at any time via opinion@sacbee.com.

Hope you’re staying positive and testing negative,

Robin Epley