Harris Raises $540 Million Since Declaring Candidacy

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris is building up her campaign funds, which are the actual fuel needed for her campaign.

According to the Washington Post (WP) and others, Harris’s presidential campaign announced on the 25th that Vice President Harris has raised $540 million since declaring her candidacy last month.

Vice President Harris raised $82 million during the Democratic Party’s convention in Chicago from the 19th to the 22nd.

Donations poured in immediately after Vice President Harris gave her acceptance speech on the 22nd.

“The passion and energy at the United Center (the convention venue) was clear, and that passion spread far and wide, far beyond Chicago and into the swing states that will determine this election,” said Chairman Dillon.

Vice President Harris plans to focus on swing states based on the energy she gathered through the convention.

Harris’s presidential campaign has aired new ads in seven swing states since the convention, and Vice President Harris and Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz, Minnesota Governor, are scheduled to hold a bus campaign in the swing state of Georgia on the 28th and 29th.

The Democratic Party has been ahead of the Republican Party in terms of financial resources since changing its presidential candidate from President Joe Biden to Vice President Harris.

Online Fraud, Beep Beep Alert

Four Korean students attending Fairfax High School in Virginia have developed an online fraud prevention website and received first place and a cash prize from the county. Fairfax County recently announced the winners of the 2024 Student Shark Tank Technology Competition, and the online fraud prevention website ‘Scam cops’ (scamcops.com) developed by four Fairfax High School students, including David Nam and Nathan Kim, won first place.

Scam cops, developed by the four students, is known to be very useful as it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide real-time online fraud warnings to seniors, people with disabilities, caregivers, and even the public who are easily deceived by online fraud.

This year’s competition, now in its 8th year, is a large-scale competition in which all middle and high school students in the county participate, hosted by the Fairfax Department of Family Services, the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, and the Fairfax 50+ Technology Committee.

NJ Transit Train Cancellations/Delays: Fare Refunds

A bill that would automatically refund fares if New Jersey Transit trains were canceled or delayed for more than three hours is being pushed through the federal Congress. On the 12th, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D, NJ 5th District) announced that he would introduce the “All Aboard Act” bill to protect passengers from train service disruptions.

The bill includes a “Passenger Bill of Rights” that would guarantee passengers a full refund if train service were canceled or delayed for more than three hours. The bill is gaining attention as it was proposed at a time when passengers are experiencing significant inconvenience due to frequent disruptions of New Jersey Transit trains that use Amtrak-managed tracks.

According to Rep. Gottheimer’s office, more than 650 New Jersey Transit trains were canceled in June. More than half of the cancellations, 415, were related to Amtrak, which operates the Northeast Corridor route connecting New York and New Jersey. Transit says 92.3 percent of trains would have run normally if there were no issues with the track and equipment managed by Amtrak.

“Don’t worry even if the government changes”

Recently, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin suddenly told 140,000 federal workers in the state that there will be plenty of jobs even if the Trump administration changes in the November presidential election, and attention is focused on the background of his remarks.

On the 5th, Virginia public radio station WVFT reported this under the title, “Youngkin says there will be plenty of jobs in Virginia even if Trump lays off federal workers.”

According to this, after a recent meeting of the Governor’s Revenue Estimation Advisory Committee (GACRE), Governor Youngkin said, “Even if Trump carries out his promise to immediately lay off a large number of federal workers if elected president, Virginia’s 140,000 federal workers have nothing to fear,” and “There is a tremendous opportunity to find new jobs in Virginia.”

After Governor Youngkin’s remarks were made public, the Washington Post published an article on the 8th titled, “Trump’s plan to lay off federal workers could shake up the economy of the Washington area,” and before that, MSMBC published an article titled, “Governor Youngkin ignores Trump’s plan to lay off a large number of federal workers.”

Meanwhile, the Heritage Foundation, a think tank, recently announced ‘Project 2025’, which contains key national tasks to be implemented within the first 100 days of former President Trump’s re-election. One of the key contents of this project is to remove existing civil servants through a large-scale civil service reshuffle and replace them with Trump loyalists.

It is said that there has been considerable unrest in the civil service community since the project was made known.

Korean community outrages.

Port Lee Mayor: “It was a regrettable incident… Please wait for the results of the prosecutor’s investigation” As public outrage grows over the case of Victoria Lee, a Korean American in Port Lee, New Jersey, who requested an ambulance for mental health reasons but was instead shot and killed by police who responded to the scene, New Jersey State Assembly Member Ellen Park has become the first politician to speak out.

Additionally, Port Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich stated that because the state prosecutor’s investigation is ongoing in accordance with state law regarding handling of police shootings, it is difficult for the town government and town police to disclose information, and that they will have to wait for the results of the investigation.

On the 9th, Assemblywoman Ellen Park released a statement saying, “I express my deepest condolences to the family of Victoria Lee,” and “My office is in contact with the Attorney General’s office regarding this tragic incident. Out of respect for the family and the residents of the apartment, I will refrain from commenting further until more information is available. I hope our community can heal.” Assemblywoman Park made her public statement amid the political circles’ keen interest in this incident. However, Assemblywoman Park did not mention her specific position on the incident in her statement.

In addition, Mayor Mark Sokolic of Port Lee posted a statement on the town’s website on the same day. Mayor Sokolic said in his statement, “On behalf of the Port Lee community, I express my deepest condolences to the unfortunate and tragic incident that occurred on May 28th at approximately 1:30 a.m. in which one resident was killed in a police-involved shooting,” but also mentioned that “the Port Lee Police Department is a well-trained, top-notch law enforcement agency.” “We have continued to hold meetings and discussions with various groups since the incident. However, the state law on handling police-involved shootings states that the State Attorney’s Office conducts the investigation, and the town government and the town police department must follow that,” Sokolic said.

“Since the State Attorney’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability conducts the investigation, the Fort Lee Police Department and the Bergen County District Attorney cannot participate in the investigation in any way. During the investigation, no member of the Fort Lee Police Department will issue any press releases, comments, or statements.”

In his statement, Mayor Sokolic said he hopes the State Attorney’s investigation will be completed as quickly as possible, but he does not know how long this process will take, and he asked for patience during the investigation.

Mayor Sokolic’s statement came 12 days after the incident on May 28. He expressed his condolences but did not mention the allegations of excessive police action raised by the family of Lee, who was with him at the time of the shooting and witnessed the incident, citing the need to wait for the results of the State Attorney’s investigation.

Meanwhile, as the tragic circumstances of Lee’s death were revealed through an interview between this newspaper and Lee’s mother on the 7th, the voices of public outrage among Koreans are growing louder. Korean parents with children are expressing anger and anxiety.

A woman in her 40s told this newspaper, “I couldn’t stop crying while reading the interview article with Lee’s mother,” and “Korean mothers around me who learned the specific details of the incident through the article are so outraged and heartbroken.”

In a message sent to this newspaper, a resident of Port Lee said, “There are people in the Kakao Talk chatroom where parents gather who are worried, saying, ‘I’m afraid to call 911. My child could be shot by the police when they arrive.’ This is an unbelievable thing that happened, and Koreans need to actively speak out for a speedy investigation.” Another Korean woman said, “Now, my heart races whenever I see a police car. I wonder why the Port Lee Town government isn’t acting on this ridiculous incident where a woman in her 20s was shot and killed by the police.”

Harris vs Trump matchup confirmed.

Vice President Kamala Harris was officially elected as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate on the 2nd ahead of the presidential election to be held in November. On the second day of the online ‘roll-out vote’ conducted from the previous day to select the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Vice President Harris secured many of the delegates needed to become the presidential candidate, Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison announced.

Vice President Harris had already received the support of 99% (3,923 delegates) of the delegates and was the only candidate to be nominated in the roll-out vote. With Vice President Harris confirmed as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, the matchup for the November presidential election has finally been finalized. T

his presidential election, which initially seemed to be solidifying early on as a ‘rematch’ between President Joe Biden and former President Trump, is unfolding in a more dramatic curve than any other presidential election as the situation changed abruptly with President Biden’s unexpected defeat on the 21st of last month. With less than 100 days left until Election Day, Vice President Harris will take over the baton and face off against former President Trump, resulting in an election with clear contrasts between people of color and white people, women and men, people in their 50s and 70s, and progressives and conservatives.

The Republican Party and former President Trump are attacking the Biden administration’s mismanagement by highlighting economic and border issues in this election, while also advocating for Vice President Harris’s shared responsibility.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party and Vice President Harris are appealing to voters for support, defining this election as a question of democracy and dictatorship, saying that if former President Trump is re-elected, American democracy itself will be in danger of extinction.

3 cases of West Nile virus infection have been reported.

New Jersey has at least three confirmed cases of West Nile virus this year, earlier than usual. Two residents were diagnosed with West Nile virus in early July. One of the patients was over 70 years old, and the other was under 18, the health department said. Both were hospitalized and later released. The third case is a Somerset County resident who was asymptomatic but tested positive for the virus after trying to donate blood.

West Nile virus infection cases usually start to appear around mid-August, but this year it is unusually early. West Nile virus, which is mainly transmitted by Asian tiger mosquitoes, is a type of encephalitis that causes fatal damage to the brain. In children and the elderly, it can develop into encephalitis and meningitis, and in severe cases, it can lead to death. The health department said, “West Nile virus activity is appearing in New Jersey earlier than expected this year. Please take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”

Arizona’s Republican Mayor Says We Should Vote for Harris

The Republican mayor of a city with a population of about 500,000 in Arizona, a battleground state that will determine the outcome of the November presidential election, has made an unusual announcement in support of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

Mayor John Giles of Mesa, the largest suburban city around Phoenix, argued in an op-ed in the Arizona Republic on the 29th that the state should support Vice President Harris over former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, in this presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that “the Republican Party has stood for the belief that all Arizonans, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have the freedom and opportunity to live the ‘American Dream.’ “He criticized, “However, Donald Trump refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, and the Republican Party still has a long way to go,” and “The Republican Party with Trump is flowing toward political extremism, which is moving away from the focus on our essential freedoms.”

He also emphasized that, unlike former President Trump who ignored immigration reform, President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris brought investment and job creation to Arizona through infrastructure laws and claimed that Vice President Harris represents the return of ‘decency’ to politics.

Mayor Giles also summoned the late former Senator John McCain, a moderate politician representing the Republican Party and the Republican candidate in the 2008 presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that former Senator McCain, a politician representing Arizona, pursued bipartisan politics, and said, “That is the same level of character and leadership that I see in Vice President Harris.” He also mentioned that Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, is being mentioned as one of the leading candidates for the Democratic vice-presidential nomination, adding, “That’s why I support her.

Kamala Harris is the fair leader that our country needs.” He added, “There is too much at stake to vote for a Republican candidate this year.” Former President Trump had maintained a clear lead in most battleground states, including Arizona, until President Biden abruptly withdrew from the Democratic presidential nomination. However, there are signs that the race will be a close one after Vice President Harris emerged as the new Democratic presidential nominee.

The burden of rent

It has been revealed that the number of young people who are not independent and living with their parents after graduating from college has been increasing rapidly in California. This is because it is difficult to afford the soaring housing costs.

Recently, the number of young Koreans who graduated from college in Southern California who are not independent and living with their parents has been increasing rapidly, and this trend has been confirmed to be a phenomenon that applies to the entire state.

It was revealed that one in four adults in the state lives with their family. In the 1960s, only 5 percent of adults between the ages of 24 and 35 lived with their parents, but as of 2022, more than 40 percent of adults between the ages of 24 and 35 in the state live with their parents. The reason why they are not able to become independent even though they are at the age of graduating from college and entering society is because it is difficult to afford the soaring housing costs.

According to the website ‘Apartment List’, the housing prices in the state are much more burdensome than in other states, which is why the MZ generation young people are becoming independent later. In 1960, 60 percent of young people could afford the median housing cost, but in 2022, only 18 percent of young people can afford the median housing cost.

In addition, as the burden of tuition increases among college students, the delay in graduation was cited as a reason why it is difficult to become independent from their families in a timely manner. The phenomenon of young people’s delayed independence is occurring throughout the country. This phenomenon is occurring from Cupertino in Northern California to Riverside in Southern California.

In Riverside, it is known that one in three adults live with their parents. Since many jobs are concentrated in large cities like LA, it is pointed out that young people in the inland region, where it is difficult to find jobs, are having a hard time becoming independent. In the case of young people from low-income families, there are cases where they stay with their families for the purpose of supporting their families, and there are cases where several generations of Hispanic, black, and some Asian communities live together, delaying the independence of young people.

Trump nominated as Republican presidential candidate

Former President Donald Trump was nominated at the Republican National Convention. Former President Trump was confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate at the delegate roll call vote, the first day of the convention held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. He received most votes needed to be elected as the presidential candidate in the Florida state election among the 2,400 delegates.

Accordingly, former President Trump officially declared his presidential bid for the third time, following 2016 and 2020. The roll call vote was conducted in turns by state, with state representatives announcing who the delegates assigned to the state would vote for.

During the Florida vote, Trump’s second son Eric appeared as a state representative and expressed his support for his father, receiving a warm welcome at the event. On the other hand, when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had a long-standing feud with former President Trump, appeared as a state representative during the Kentucky vote, boos continued throughout the venue.

As a result, McConnell’s remarks were barely audible. Former President Trump is scheduled to make his acceptance speech for the presidential nomination on the 18th, the last day of the convention, and announce his vision for the next administration.