Latest news with #GabrielSanchez
New York Times
13-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
Pierre Franey's Five-Star Grilled Swordfish
Good morning. I suppose there are fathers looking forward to Father's Day on Sunday, a day of rest, the family surrounding them with gifts and heartfelt cards, muffins, a plate of scrambled eggs and the promise of an uninterrupted afternoon watching the Yankees play the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Not me. I don't like the attention and get restless besides. Better to gamble good money on excellent beef and spend the day preparing a smoked prime rib as a cave man would. The recipe's excellent, a Texas-forever preparation developed by a pit cook at Kreuz Market in Lockhart who happens to be the dad of one of our photo editors, Gabriel Sanchez. I'll get it set up for a dry brine on Saturday evening, and then get it on a grill fueled by lump charcoal around noon on Sunday for a few hours in a smoke bath, followed by a blast of high heat and a long rest wrapped in butcher's paper in advance of dinner, with macaroni and cheese and coleslaw. (Yes, you can make the roast on a gas grill, though you'll need a tube smoker filled with wood pellets, or soaked wood chips wrapped in aluminum foil that you perforate with a fork.) We have plenty of recipes to cook for the old man on his special day. If mine were still around, I might start him off with a Dutch Baby for breakfast, with a giant pile of sliced strawberries and some maple syrup. Then an Italian sub for lunch, with a slash of mayonnaise because that's how it's done where I stay. And for dinner? These grilled marinated swordfish steaks, an old Pierre Franey recipe that's been satisfying Times readers since its publication in 1993. I'd pair it with his green bean and tomato salad and then set ourselves up in front of a screen to watch one of our favorites before bed. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Gulf Today
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
The only socialist in the Georgia House beat expectations
When state Rep. Gabriel Sanchez defeated seven-year Democratic incumbent Teri Anulewicz in the primary election for a Cobb County seat in the Georgia Legislature last November, there were whispers and some sneers about how he, a Democratic Socialist, would operate. And if you watched the voting board in the state House, you would often see a red 'X' by his name indicating a no vote. Indeed, only members of the ultraconservative House Freedom caucus voted no on more bills on the House floor than Sanchez. But colleagues say Sanchez is more than an automatic no vote and is focused on issues he sees as affecting working class Georgians in his Smyrna district, including housing costs and workers' pay. And by some measures, he was successful. 'Far-right people say he's a scary socialist, but he's just fighting for housing, free (school) lunch, public safety and extended library services,' said state Rep. Eric Bell, a Democrat from Jonesboro. 'They try to paint him as some radical. But if free lunch is radical, I'm radical. If free health care is radical, I'm radical. If guaranteed housing is radical, I'm radical.' During his first term in the Gold Dome, Sanchez said he has learned how to develop relationships with members of all ideologies while not betraying his progressive values. 'There's a good balance where you need to be able to fight when it's time for you to fight and stand up for people, and there are other times where you need to work with people to get things done,' he said. 'I think I've been able to learn about what that balance really is over the course of the session.' Sometimes that put him on the same page with the most conservative members of the House. One bill he and Freedom caucus members voted against would give tax breaks for manufacturing equipment, industrial materials, packing supplies and energy. 'If a corporation wants to do well, they can do it on their own. They don't need taxpayers to help,' he said. 'Sometimes there's alignment, even with people who may seem like they're on a completely opposite side of you.' He also voted against the 2026 budget, which he said failed to address health care and education while beefing up funding for state prisons. 'A budget is a document of where your morals lie and your values align. And I don't think that this budget is anywhere near what Georgians need,' he said. It has historically been considered taboo to vote against the budget. Typically, by the time the budget reaches the floor, most Democrats vote for it because they believe they have secured enough wins — whether through line items in the budget, like funding for historically Black colleges and universities, or by getting their bills heard and voted on. There's also an element of Southern charm that is part of the culture of the Legislature, which Sanchez said he understands. 'I'm a polite person. That's how I was raised to be. I am that way with my colleagues in a lot of ways, but I'm also not going to sit back and let things happen without a fight, to be frank,' he said. 'It's just about the balance between not being obsessed with decorum.' It's difficult for any first-year lawmaker to get significant legislation passed. Never mind if they're a self-described socialist. But Sanchez was able to get one of his bills in front of the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation would prevent landlords from colluding to set rental prices. While the committee meeting was just a hearing, meaning there was no vote to advance the bill, hearings can be a step for legislation to get discussed and allow for action next year. Republican state Rep. Matt Reeves, the committee vice chairman who presided over the hearing, said there is bipartisan support to improve housing prices and enable more people to own homes. 'Whether you're a socialist or whether you're a free enterprise guy, like me, if you're trying to solve housing or other problems, you've got a seat at the table. And if you've got good ideas and solutions, I think that'll win out,' Reeves said. Essence Johnson, who chairs the Cobb Democratic Committee, was impressed with Sanchez and said he 'definitely exceeded as a freshman.' His election also showed that progressives can be elected in the suburbs, not just Atlanta. Although he ran as a Democrat, Sanchez's run for office was backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. Matthew Nursey, co-chair of the Atlanta chapter, said Sanchez's actions during the legislative session are exactly what they want to see. 'Our standard for elected officials is that they're not just running for themselves to pursue a political career. It's about building a movement that goes beyond the campaign, beyond just the walls of the Gold Dome,' he said.
Business Mayor
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Lawsuits accuse insurers of colluding to drop coverage in fire-prone parts of California
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Two lawsuits filed in Los Angeles allege major home insurance companies have colluded to limit coverage in California communities at high risk for wildfires and force homeowners onto the state's last-resort insurance plan that offers basic coverage and high premiums. Insurers, including State Farm and 24 other companies that hold 75% of California's home insurance market, were part of an 'illegal scheme' in violation of California's antitrust and unfair competition laws, according to one of the lawsuits, filed last week. The lawsuit said the companies worked together in 2023 to 'suddenly and simultaneously' drop coverage or halt writing new policies in fire-prone areas, including in neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and Altadena that were leveled in the January wildfires that destroyed nearly 17,000 structures and killed at least 30 people. That has forced hundreds of homeowners onto the FAIR Plan that offers limited coverage capping at $3 million, leaving them underinsured and now struggling to rebuild after the fires, says the lawsuit filed by a group of homeowners who lost their houses in the LA fires. The other lawsuit includes all policyholders who obtained the FAIR Plan after January 2023, when the conspiracy allegedly began, the suit says. 'Insurance is a product that homeowners hope never to need, but rely on for peace of mind in normal times and for critical help rebuilding after a catastrophe,' Michael J. Bidart, who represents the homeowners, said in a statement. 'The complaints allege that, by colluding to push plaintiffs and so many like them to the FAIR Plan, the defendants have reaped the benefits of high premiums while depriving homeowners of coverage that they were ready, willing, and able to purchase to ensure that they could recover after a disaster like January's wildfires.' The lawsuits come as California is struggling to rein in an ongoing insurance crisis, where companies are boosting rates, limiting coverage or pulling out completely from regions susceptible to wildfires and other natural disasters in the era of climate change. In 2023, several major insurance companies either paused or restricted new business in the state, saying they can't truly price the risk on properties as wildfires are becoming more common and destructive in California due to climate change. The state Department of Insurance said it is not involved in the suits but said its focus is on protecting consumers. 'Californians deserve a system that works — one where decisions are made openly, rates reflect real risk, and no one is left without options,' department spokesperson Gabriel Sanchez said in a statement. State Farm, the largest home insurer in California with roughly a million policies, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the largest national trade association representing home, auto and business insurers, also did not respond for comment. The FAIR Plan is an insurance pool that all the major private insurers pay into, and the plan then issues policies to people who can't get private insurance because their properties are deemed too risky to insure. The plan, with high premiums and basic coverage, is designed as a temporary option until homeowners can find permanent coverage, but more Californians are relying on it than ever. There were more than 555,000 home policies on the FAIR Plan as of March, more than double the number in 2020. Read More Tell 'price walkers' to take a hike The complaints also allege that insurers were pushing policyholders onto the FAIR Plan because companies wouldn't have to shoulder all financial responsibility to sustain the plan. When the state's top insurance regulator in February ordered insurers to provide $1 billion to the FAIR Plan to help it pay out claims related to the LA wildfires, he allowed for half of the cost to be recouped from policyholders statewide. Another lawsuit was filed last week to block the cost-shifting regulation. California has been in the process of implementing various new regulations to give insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for issuing more policies in high-risk areas. That includes regulations allowing insurers to consider climate change when setting their prices and allowing them to pass on the costs of reinsurance to California consumers.
The Independent
21-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Lawsuits accuse insurers of colluding to drop coverage in fire-prone parts of California
Two lawsuits filed in Los Angeles allege major home insurance companies have colluded to limit coverage in California communities at high risk for wildfires and force homeowners onto the state's last-resort insurance plan that offers basic coverage and high premiums. Insurers, including State Farm and 24 other companies that hold 75% of California's home insurance market, were part of an 'illegal scheme' in violation of California's antitrust and unfair competition laws, according to one of the lawsuits, filed last week. The lawsuit said the companies worked together in 2023 to 'suddenly and simultaneously' drop coverage or halt writing new policies in fire-prone areas, including in neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and Altadena that were leveled in the January wildfires that destroyed nearly 17,000 structures and killed at least 30 people. That has forced hundreds of homeowners onto the FAIR Plan that offers limited coverage capping at $3 million, leaving them underinsured and now struggling to rebuild after the fires, says the lawsuit filed by a group of homeowners who lost their houses in the LA fires. The other lawsuit includes all policyholders who obtained the FAIR Plan after January 2023, when the conspiracy allegedly began, the suit says. ' Insurance is a product that homeowners hope never to need, but rely on for peace of mind in normal times and for critical help rebuilding after a catastrophe,' Michael J. Bidart, who represents the homeowners, said in a statement. 'The complaints allege that, by colluding to push plaintiffs and so many like them to the FAIR Plan, the defendants have reaped the benefits of high premiums while depriving homeowners of coverage that they were ready, willing, and able to purchase to ensure that they could recover after a disaster like January's wildfires.' The lawsuits come as California is struggling to rein in an ongoing insurance crisis, where companies are boosting rates, limiting coverage or pulling out completely from regions susceptible to wildfires and other natural disasters in the era of climate change. In 2023, several major insurance companies either paused or restricted new business in the state, saying they can't truly price the risk on properties as wildfires are becoming more common and destructive in California due to climate change. The state Department of Insurance said it is not involved in the suits but said its focus is on protecting consumers. 'Californians deserve a system that works — one where decisions are made openly, rates reflect real risk, and no one is left without options,' department spokesperson Gabriel Sanchez said in a statement. State Farm, the largest home insurer in California with roughly a million policies, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the largest national trade association representing home, auto and business insurers, also did not respond for comment. The FAIR Plan is an insurance pool that all the major private insurers pay into, and the plan then issues policies to people who can't get private insurance because their properties are deemed too risky to insure. The plan, with high premiums and basic coverage, is designed as a temporary option until homeowners can find permanent coverage, but more Californians are relying on it than ever. There were more than 555,000 home policies on the FAIR Plan as of March, more than double the number in 2020. The complaints also allege that insurers were pushing policyholders onto the FAIR Plan because companies wouldn't have to shoulder all financial responsibility to sustain the plan. When the state's top insurance regulator in February ordered insurers to provide $1 billion to the FAIR Plan to help it pay out claims related to the LA wildfires, he allowed for half of the cost to be recouped from policyholders statewide. Another lawsuit was filed last week to block the cost-shifting regulation. California has been in the process of implementing various new regulations to give insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for issuing more policies in high-risk areas. That includes regulations allowing insurers to consider climate change when setting their prices and allowing them to pass on the costs of reinsurance to California consumers.
Associated Press
21-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Lawsuits accuse insurers of colluding to drop coverage in fire-prone parts of California
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Two lawsuits filed in Los Angeles allege major home insurance companies have colluded to limit coverage in California communities at high risk for wildfires and force homeowners onto the state's last-resort insurance plan that offers basic coverage and high premiums. Insurers, including State Farm and 24 other companies that hold 75% of California's home insurance market, were part of an 'illegal scheme' in violation of California's antitrust and unfair competition laws, according to one of the lawsuits, filed last week. The lawsuit said the companies worked together in 2023 to 'suddenly and simultaneously' drop coverage or halt writing new policies in fire-prone areas, including in neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and Altadena that were leveled in the January wildfires that destroyed nearly 17,000 structures and killed at least 30 people. That has forced hundreds of homeowners onto the FAIR Plan that offers limited coverage capping at $3 million, leaving them underinsured and now struggling to rebuild after the fires, says the lawsuit filed by a group of homeowners who lost their houses in the LA fires. The other lawsuit includes all policyholders who obtained the FAIR Plan after January 2023, when the conspiracy allegedly began, the suit says. 'Insurance is a product that homeowners hope never to need, but rely on for peace of mind in normal times and for critical help rebuilding after a catastrophe,' Michael J. Bidart, who represents the homeowners, said in a statement. 'The complaints allege that, by colluding to push plaintiffs and so many like them to the FAIR Plan, the defendants have reaped the benefits of high premiums while depriving homeowners of coverage that they were ready, willing, and able to purchase to ensure that they could recover after a disaster like January's wildfires.' The lawsuits come as California is struggling to rein in an ongoing insurance crisis, where companies are boosting rates, limiting coverage or pulling out completely from regions susceptible to wildfires and other natural disasters in the era of climate change. In 2023, several major insurance companies either paused or restricted new business in the state, saying they can't truly price the risk on properties as wildfires are becoming more common and destructive in California due to climate change. The state Department of Insurance said it is not involved in the suits but said its focus is on protecting consumers. 'Californians deserve a system that works — one where decisions are made openly, rates reflect real risk, and no one is left without options,' department spokesperson Gabriel Sanchez said in a statement. State Farm, the largest home insurer in California with roughly a million policies, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the largest national trade association representing home, auto and business insurers, also did not respond for comment. The FAIR Plan is an insurance pool that all the major private insurers pay into, and the plan then issues policies to people who can't get private insurance because their properties are deemed too risky to insure. The plan, with high premiums and basic coverage, is designed as a temporary option until homeowners can find permanent coverage, but more Californians are relying on it than ever. There were more than 555,000 home policies on the FAIR Plan as of March, more than double the number in 2020. The complaints also allege that insurers were pushing policyholders onto the FAIR Plan because companies wouldn't have to shoulder all financial responsibility to sustain the plan. When the state's top insurance regulator in February ordered insurers to provide $1 billion to the FAIR Plan to help it pay out claims related to the LA wildfires, he allowed for half of the cost to be recouped from policyholders statewide. Another lawsuit was filed last week to block the cost-shifting regulation. California has been in the process of implementing various new regulations to give insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for issuing more policies in high-risk areas. That includes regulations allowing insurers to consider climate change when setting their prices and allowing them to pass on the costs of reinsurance to California consumers.
