UNITED STATES Postal Service truck. The USPS has been at the center of a struggle over voting by mail (Flickr/Dongyi Liu).

Testifying before a Senate panel on Friday, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said that the U.S. Postal Service would be able to handle the volume of mail expected this fall by an unprecedented increase in vote-by-mail balloting.

“The American people should feel comfortable that the Postal Service will deliver on this election,” he said to the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.  He vowed that ballots would be top priority – even over first class mail, in some cases – in handling, but did suggest that Americans “vote early.”

DeJoy has come under criticism for mail delays and some Democrats suggested that his policy of reductions in overtime, the removal of “blue boxes” and shutting down mail sorting machines were being done in effort to undercut the credibility of the election.

DeJoy said on Tuesday that some of those measures would be suspended until after the election.  President Donald Trump – who appointed DeJoy to his position – has frequently stated that mail voting led to massive fraud. He has not cited information to support that. He, and DeJoy, have both said they vote by mail.

Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan, urged DeJoy to apologize publically. “The country is anxious about whether the damage you have inflicted so far can be quickly reversed and what other plans you have in store that could further disrupt or damage reliable, timely delivery from the Postal Service,” he said.

DeJoy will testify before the House oversight and reform committee on Monday.

Life sentences for “Golden State Killer”

Joseph James DeAngelo, the long-sought “Golden State Killer,” pleaded guilty to a long list of murders and sexual assaults today (Thursday) in Sacramento and was sentenced to multiple life sentences.

JOSEPH DeANGELO (Wikipedia).

DeAngelo, 74, admitted guilt in 13 counts of first-degree murder and over 25 counts of crimes including rapes.  That was part of a plea bargain that kept him from receiving the death penalty.

His string of crimes began in the 1970s while serving as a police officer, according to United Press International. DNA evidence helped identify him as the principal suspect in 2018 after 40 years of eluding law enforcement.

Before sentence was passed, DeAngelo stood and apologized for his crimes. “I’ve listened to all your statements,” he said, to a gallery occupied mostly by his victims and their families. “And I’m truly sorry to everyone I have hurt.” It’s believed by authorities that he committed more crimes than the offenses to which he admitted, in part due to the status of limitations. One estimate is that he committed over 50 rapes and over 120 burglaries.

We’re cooling it, very, very slowly

A slow cooling trend – or a slow de-heating trend – should bring temperatures down in the West Orange County area. According to the National Weather Service Friday evening’s low will be 73, and Saturday’s high at 86. Mostly sunny is the forecast through Monday with a high of 84.

Clippers and Dodgers get wins

Here’s the lineup for games involving area pro sports teams. Times are local and scores will be posted as they become available.

• Clippers 130, Dallas Mavericks 122  Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points to lead the Clips to the win, giving LA a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference playoff series. Kristaps Porzingis had 34 for Dallas.
• Dodgers 5, Colorado 1. LA grabbed its 20th win as Walker Buehler struck out 11 batters in six innings. Corey Seager knocked in two runs with a key double and Chris Taylor had two hits, a base on balls and scored twice. They’re 20-8 and lead the NL West by four games.
• Oakland 5, Angels 3. The Halos continued to sink as the A’s won their ninth consecutive home game. Andrew Heaney (1-2) had a rough start, yielding six hits and five runs in 4.2 innings. David Fletcher had three hits and Anthony Rendon four. The Angels are 8-19 and fell to last place in the AL West with the loss. They’ve lost four straight.