Trial date still pending for Solano woman charged with massive frauds - Vacaville Reporter

A Solano County Superior Court trial date remains pending for a 52-year-old Suisun City woman charged in a series of massive fraud schemes and she may learn it in the coming weeks.

Sharon N. Dailey, who, court records show, appeared Aug. 22 in Department 23, is accused of multiple fraud charges connected to an attempt to obtain an $8 million loan to buy a Fairfield winery, two additional attempts to obtain multimillion-dollar loans and attempts to buy a jet plane and to lease a Rolls Royce.

During the morning session, when Dailey was to learn of her trial date, Judge John B. Ellis instead ordered her to return at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 19 for a readiness conference and a trial setting in the Justice Center in Fairfield.

Dailey was arrested on Nov. 4, 2021, near the intersection of Pintail Drive and Spoonbill Lane in Suisun City, Solano County Sheriff’s Office records show. She was taken into custody on suspicion of 17 felonies involving six different fraud schemes. She was later arraigned in a Fairfield courtroom and remains in custody at the Claybank Detention Facility, also in Fairfield, on $250,000 bail.

According to a press release from the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, Dailey was charged with eight counts of identity theft; four counts of making false financial statements to obtain a loan; two counts of mortgage foreclosure consultant fraud; one count of grand theft; one count of passing a false check in the amount of $500,000; and one count of mortgage fraud.

Dailey, who is represented by the Alternate Public Defender, also was charged with the enhancement of “committing a pattern of related felony conduct,” District Attorney Krishna Abrams noted in the prepared statement.

Specifically, she added, the charges are related to the following schemes:

1. Besides the $8 million loan to buy a Fairfield winery, a scheme involving her attempt to receive a $3 million personal loan under another person’s name;
2. A scheme involving her attempt to receive a $5 million business loan for a false business;
3. A scheme involving the fraudulent lease of a Rolls Royce Ghost Series II vehicle with a lease value of $144,000;
4. A scheme where she submitted bogus documents in an attempt to buy a Bombardier Challenger 850 aircraft; 5.
5. And a foreclosure rescue scheme in which she received $120,000 from the victims, submitted false documents in civil court, and the victims lost their home to foreclosure. (Dailey on Dec. 22 was scheduled to be arraigned on other felony charges of defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration for submitting phony documents and receiving $187,000 in loans for COVID-19 relief for small businesses struggling to survive amid the pandemic.)

Abrams said the defendant was previously convicted in 2008 in the U.S. District Court in Sacramento for fraudulently obtaining financial assistance related to Hurricane Katrina, a Category 5 storm that devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in August 2005.

The latest case is being investigated by District Attorney Investigator Mason Mineni. Deputy District Attorney Jeff Daley leads the prosecution.

Mineni requests that anyone with information about these cases call him at 784-6876.

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Trial date still pending for Solano woman charged with massive frauds - Vacaville Reporter
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Future of Grandview Speedway uncertain amid pending sale - Reading Eagle

Grandview Speedway’s 60th anniversary season may very well be its last.

The future of the one-third-mile dirt racetrack located outside Bechtelsville in Washington Township is uncertain beyond this season, as it is currently included in a pending sale with Copart Inc., an automotive auction and resale company.

“I’m going to sell it,” said track owner and general manager Theresa Rogers, wife of the late Bruce Rogers, on Tuesday. “It was my decision. I’ve been in it so long, I’m not interested in it anymore.”

The sale between Theresa Rogers and Copart Inc., is pending because Copart must have its proposal approved by Washington Township in order for the transaction to be moved to settlement. If approved, the track and property it sits on will be sold to Copart for an undisclosed amount.

“At my age now and (with) my opportunity, I’m going to do it,” Theresa Rogers, 80, said. “(This) was my opportunity, (and) I don’t know if I’ll ever get another one.”

The track was not listed for sale, as Copart approached Theresa Rogers unexpectedly with the offer that she eventually accepted, she said. According to Theresa Rogers, it has been the only offer made since she took full ownership of the track following her husband’s death in 2017.

“I didn’t put it up for sale,” she said. “The price was what Bruce had always said he would ever sell his track for.”

Theresa Rogers’ children, Tina and Kenny, are heavily involved with the speedway. Both serve as co-event organizers, while Kenny also works on the track crew.

“My mother is 80 years old,” Kenny Rogers said. “It’s her racetrack. It’s not mine, it’s not my sister’s (track). We do this for the love of our family.”

Tina Rogers’ son, Brad Missimer, also is heavily involved, serving as competition director and on the track crew. With three generations working together at the speedway, Theresa Rogers said the entire family was supportive of her decision.

“My kids told me, do what I wanted to do,” she said. “They don’t begrudge me for selling it, they don’t put me down for selling it and they’re not unhappy that I made that decision. I’m at peace with it.”

Grandview has six races left on its 2022 schedule, one of which is the 52nd annual Freedom 76 Modified Classic on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Championship Night for the 358 modifieds and 602 crate sportsman divisions will be held on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Victory lane at Grandview Speedway. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)

If a settlement between Grandview Speedway and Copart is not reached by an undisclosed date, Theresa Rogers ensured that there will be a full season of racing at the high-banked track next year, as she said the two sides would only settle during a time when Grandview is not in season.

“I will not sell it in the middle of the season,” she said. “I will not do that to my drivers or my fans.”

The deal between Copart and Grandview Speedway was on the agenda at the Washington Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Aug. 25. However, according to Tina Rogers, it was not discussed at the meeting.

If the purchase goes through, it is uncertain what Copart will do with the property. Founded in 1982, Copart “specializes in the resale and remarketing of used, wholesale and salvage title vehicles for a variety of sellers, including insurance companies, rental car companies, local municipalities, financial institutions and charities,” according to its website.

Copart has more than 200 locations in 11 countries. It has 10 locations in Pennsylvania, including one in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, just a short drive from Grandview Speedway.

Grandview, opened in 1963 by founder Forrest Rogers, was turned over to his son, Bruce, four years after its opening. Bruce Rogers served as the operator and owner of the track for five decades until his death in 2017, when full ownership was transferred to Theresa Rogers.

The facility developed into one of the premier dirt tracks in Pennsylvania and the United States, hosting legendary drivers such as Richard Petty and A.J. Foyt. Grandview’s biggest race in recent years has been the Thunder on the Hill Racing Series Hodnett Cup, which is part of the Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek series and has attracted NASCAR Cup Series drivers such as Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Tony Stewart, Rico Abreu and Kasey Kahne.

“I gave them 60 years of racing,” Theresa Rogers said. “I can’t keep going.”

With five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Theresa Rogers said she looks forward to having a more flexible schedule and more free time to spend with family.

“There’s three grandchildren that maybe I can visit more,” Theresa Rogers said. “I can do some traveling and some stuff that I’d like to do that I haven’t been able to do.”

While the future of Grandview Speedway is uncertain beyond 2022, Tina Rogers credits the fans for making it what it is today.

“The fans were loyal, the fans were dedicated,” Tina Rogers said. “We can’t be more thankful for them, because they’re the ones that helped Grandview grow.”

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Pending final review, NASA clears Artemis moon rocket for second launch attempt Saturday - CBS News

NASA will make a second attempt to launch the agency's giant Space Launch System rocket Saturday on a test flight to send an unpiloted Orion crew capsule around the moon and back, a major milestone in the agency's ambitious Artemis program.

Grounded Monday by trouble cooling one of the rocket's four shuttle-era engines to the required pre-start temperature, managers said Tuesday engineers have come up with a work-around. Assuming final clearance to proceed, the launch team will start a fresh countdown at 4:07 p.m. EDT Thursday.

That will set the stage for blastoff on the Artemis 1 mission at 2:17 p.m. Saturday, one day later than NASA's original backup launch date. As always, the team will have to work around the weather, with forecasters predicting a 60% chance of stormy conditions during the rocket's two-hour launch window.

The Space Launch System moon rocket on pad 39B waiting another launch attempt Saturday at 2:17 p.m. EDT. CBS News

Mike Sarafin, chairman of NASA's mission management team, said the core stage fueling procedure will be adjusted in an attempt to improve cooling to all four RS-25 engines. In addition, fittings will be tightened around a fuel-line umbilical at the base of the rocket to improve sealing and prevent leaks like one that briefly occurred Monday.

"We agreed on what was called 'option 1,' which was to operationally change the (fuel) loading procedure and start our engine chilldown earlier," Sarafin said. "We also agreed to do some work at the pad to address the leak that we saw at the hydrogen tail service mast umbilical.

"And we also agreed to move our launch date to Saturday. We are going to reconvene the Mission Management Team on Thursday to review our flight rationale and our overall readiness."

The 322-foot-tall 5.75-million-pound SLS is the most powerful rocket ever built by NASA, generating 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff using four Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 engines left over from the shuttle program and two Northrop Grumman solid rocket boosters attached to a Boeing-built core stage.

Accelerating to 70 mph — straight up — in just seven seconds, the solid rocket boosters and the core stage will boost the Orion capsule, carrying instrumented test dummies and a suite of sensors and experiments, into an elliptical orbit. The rocket's upper stage, provided by United Launch Alliance, then will propel the capsule out of Earth's gravity and onto a trajectory to the moon.

After a close flyby, the capsule will whip around the moon and out into a distant orbit that will carry it farther from Earth than any human-rated spacecraft. Then, after another lunar flyby, the ship will head back to Earth for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean west of San Diego on October 11.

Artemis: America's New Moonshot | CBS Reports 21:51

The goal of the Artemis 1 mission is to put the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft through their paces, including a high-speed, high-temperature re-entry, before launching four astronauts around the moon in late 2024. The first Artemis moon landing is planned for the 2025-26 timeframe.

Given the constantly changing positions of the Earth and moon, along with the rocket's ability to reach the correct trajectory, NASA must launch the Artemis 1 mission within specific "windows."

Complicating the picture, the battery used by the upper stage's self-destruct system must be serviced after 25 days, and that can only be done back in NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building.

That means the Artemis 1 mission must get off the ground by Monday or the rocket will be hauled back to the VAB, delaying another launch attempt until late September at the earliest or, more likely, to October.

The SLS rocket is the key to the Artemis program and NASA managers and engineers want to make sure it works as planned before launching astronauts to the moon.

A full-duration eight-minute core stage engine test firing was carried out at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on March 18, 2021. The rocket then was shipped to the Kennedy Space Center for launch processing.

Astronaut Christina Koch on Artemis test flight to lunar orbit and what it means for the future 02:21

NASA carried out a dress-rehearsal countdown and fueling test on April 3, a key milestone needed to make sure the rocket, launch pad and ground systems work together as planned. But engineers ran into a series of mostly ground-system problems that prevented them from loading propellants,

Two more fueling attempts failed on April 4 and 14 due to a variety of unrelated problems. Engineers were finally able to fully load the core stage on June 20, but only after a leaking quick-disconnect fitting was isolated that prevented the flow of hydrogen coolant to the core stage engines — a requirement for an actual launch.

The quick-disconnect was repaired back in the Vehicle Assembly Building and the SLS rocket was rolled back out to pad 39B on August 16 to ready the vehicle for launch.

During Monday's launch attempt, the repaired quick-disconnect appeared to work normally. With the core stage tanks filled and topped off, liquid oxygen and hydrogen began circulating through the engine plumbing to condition them to the ultra-low temperatures of the propellants — minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit for hydrogen and minus 297 degrees for oxygen.

But none of the engines reached the target temperature. Engines 1, 2 and 4 got to about -410 degrees while engine No. 3 only reached about -380 degrees. During troubleshooting, engineers diverted all the hydrogen coolant to engine 3 and it still did not reach the planned operating temperature.

John Honeycutt, manager of the SLS program at the Marshall Spaceflight Center, said engineers suspect a faulty sensor might be responsible for the readings from engine 3. Pressure measurements and other data indicate good cooling.

"The way the sensor is behaving, it doesn't line up with the physics of the situation," he said. "And so we will be looking at all the other data that we have to use it to make an informed decision whether or not we've got all the engines chilled down or not."

By starting the chilldown procedure about 45 minutes earlier when the engines are near ambient temperatures, engineers believe they can manage to cool all four engines as needed.

A similar procedure was used during the rocket's test firing last year at the Stennis Space Center. In that case, the engines were properly cooled and started normally for a full-duration "green run."

"As of today, and based on the data that we've got, we think we can do something like what we did at the Stennis Space Center to put ourselves in a better position for launch," said Honeycutt.

As Sarafin said, the team will review all the data Thursday before giving final clearance to proceed with a launch attempt.

"The team is in the middle of poring through the data and building the flight rationale," Honeycutt said. "I don't have that just yet, but I do expect us to be able to get there."

Space & Astronomy

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William Harwood

Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News. He covered 129 space shuttle missions, every interplanetary flight since Voyager 2's flyby of Neptune and scores of commercial and military launches. Based at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Harwood is a devoted amateur astronomer and co-author of "Comm Check: The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia."

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Pending final review, NASA clears Artemis moon rocket for second launch attempt Saturday - CBS News
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Contingent vs Pending: What’s the Difference? - Bankrate.com

Have you ever scrolled through the latest listing on real estate sites, seen phrases like “pending” or “contingent,” and wondered what they mean? When a home’s up for sale, there is a lot that can happen between an offer being accepted and the actual conclusion of the deal. Like distance markers on an expressway, these terms indicate how far along a listing is on the road to closing.

“Contingent” and “pending” signal the status of a listed home — specifically, how close it is to being sold. These terms typically indicate that an offer has been made and the property is closing in changing hands — but the deal hasn’t been finalized yet. It’s important for house hunters to understand these terms and what they mean so they know exactly how much time and resources to invest in a particular property.

What does contingent mean?

When a home is listed as contingent, that means that the sellers have accepted an offer but are not taking the listing off the market entirely because there are still certain circumstances that may lead to the sale falling through. The term means that the sale is accepted contingent (or dependent) on certain conditions being met.

However, not all contingent statuses are created equal. There are different degrees of contingent.

Continue to show

A continue to show contingency (CCS) is a contingency that allows the seller to continue not only listing the property but also showing it until a number of agreed-to conditions are met. During this time, the seller may even accept other offers from different buyers, especially if the original buyer fails to meet certain criteria or deadlines.

No show

A “no show” contingency is the opposite of a “continue to show” contingency. This means the seller agrees to stop showing the home during the closing process. It provides additional security for the buyer, and sellers typically agree to this arrangement if they feel confident that their buyer will come through.

Kick-out clause

A kick-out clause is included in some contracts to set specific deadlines for different parts of the closing and sale finalization process. If those deadlines are missed, the buyer or seller can potentially pull out of the agreement. Without a kick-out clause, the proceedings may drag on longer — though this may not be an issue if neither party is in a rush to finalize the sale.

Short sale

A short-sale contingent takes place when the seller agrees to take less money for the home than is owed on their mortgage. This typically happens when a bank or lender has foreclosed on the property in question.

Types of contingencies

There are a number of different contingencies that can be agreed to between buyer and seller. Some are quite common.

Inspection

An inspection contingency means that the sale of the home is contingent on a home inspection — and the results of it. Done on behalf of the buyer, the inspection may reveal flaws with the property that were not disclosed or previously known. Depending exactly on how the contingency is written, certain problems or conditions give the buyer the right to back out.

Appraisal

An appraisal contingency means the sale of the home will go through depending on the determination of an appraiser’s report. The appraiser inspects the home and compares it to comparable ones to determine its value. Lenders often base the size of a mortgage on the appraisal. Sometimes an appraisal produces an appraisal gap, or a significant difference between the agreed-upon sale price and the appraised value. When this happens, it can put the sale of the home in limbo, especially if financing is involved.

Financing

Financing contingencies mean that the sale proceeds if the buyer can secure a loan, or a big enough loan. If they can’t, they’re not on the hook to buy the home, in other words. Failure to get mortgage approval is the number one reason that home sales fall through, according to the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.

Title

The transfer of the property title (ownership of it, in essence) is at the heart of a real estate transaction. A title contingency means that if anything interferes with the clean transfer of the title, such as a lien or other claim by a third party, then the buyer may back out of the transaction.

Buyer’s home sale

Real estate transactions are often about timing. When a buyer purchases a new house, they also need to sell their previous property. A buyer’s home sale contingency makes the sale of one home contingent upon the sale of the other. If the buyer of the new property cannot find a buyer for their previous home, then the transaction can potentially be canceled.

What does pending mean?

While contingencies are conditions that must be met for the sale to go through, pending is used to identify a listing where all contingencies have been met and the transaction is nearing the closing process.

This still does not mean that the sale is final. Things can still go wrong. But the pending status identifies a listing that is getting close to a successful conclusion.

There are several different types of pending status.

Taking backups

While a sale may be in the process of finalizing, there are potential last-minute obstacles that could cause it to fall through.So, sellers will take backup offers: They’ll often let their agents keep on showing the home, and allow other potential buyers to bid. The idea is that the seller has these backup offers in hand, and could accept one if the original deal falls through for any reason.

Short sale

The short sale pending status signifies that the seller, typically a bank or mortgage lender, is selling the home for less than the amount left on the mortgage. When a home is pending short sale, it typically means the transaction is close to finalizing and no other offers will be accepted.

No show

If a property is a no show pending status, it will stop showing up on listing sites. This indicates that the sale is very close and both the seller and buyer feel confident that the transaction will go through.

More than 4 months

If a home has been listed as pending for longer than a four month period, it will automatically appear on MLS (multiple listing services) with this status. It could mean that something is taking longer than expected, or it could mean that a real estate agent simply forgot to list the home as sold.

Confusingly, some of the pending statuses seem to be the same as those of contingent. The bottom line, though, is that with pending, it’s close to a done deal — the contracts and paperwork are all in. With contingent, the listing is still technically an active one.

Making offers on contingent and pending properties

Contingent and pending status both signify that a home has an offer on it and is moving closer to being sold, but both statuses exist to signal that the transaction is not final. For that reason, you can sometimes make an offer on a home listed as contingent or pending — usually, more the former than the latter.

Homes that are contingent and continue to show, or pending and taking backups, will continue to accept offers from other prospective buyers. In the case of a contingent sale, the seller may even accept your offer if it is better than the previous one; technically, the property is still in play. But it often depends on what options the existing contract gives the seller.

It is not often that home sale falls through once it reaches the contingent or pending status, but it does happen. According to the National Association of Realtors’ June 2022 “Confidence Index Survey,” about 6 percent of contracts terminated (that is, deals got canceled) between March–May 2022, and 18 percent were delayed in their closing.

Final word: contingent vs pending

Sometimes the terms “contingent” and “pending” are used interchangeably. While there’s some overlap, they technically describe different parts of the property transaction process.

If a home is contingent, it means that certain conditions still have to be met before the sale can move toward being finalized. If a home is listed as pending, all contingencies have been met and the sale is further down the closing path, with most of the paperwork in place — but the transaction has not yet been completed. You are more likely to be successful making an offer on a contingent home than a pending one.

So, when you see “contingent” or “pending” on a home that you’re interested in, don’t write it off entirely just yet. In both cases, it means that a home is likely going to sell; however, the keys and the checks haven’t changed hands, and it’s not a done deal. Granted, getting a home that is listed with one of these statuses is going to be a longer shot than an entirely free listing. But you never know — and it never hurts to ask.

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Contingent vs Pending: What’s the Difference? - Bankrate.com
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Dallas Stars Daily Links: About Those Pending Contracts... - Defending Big D

We’re so near the end of the slowest Dallas Stars month of the year! And that means the hockey content is slowly but surely beginning to refill the reservoirs.

The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks is doing his part with his latest mailbag. And his first move is to put the Jake Oettinger - Jason Robertson issues in context:

It’s been eight years since a Stars restricted free agent entered September without a contract (not counting the funky 2020 offseason). During the 2014 offseason, both Cody Eakin and Brenden Dillon were late signings as the regular season approached. But since then, the Stars have done a great job of getting their business done early, as Jamie Oleksiak (2017) and Gemel Smith (a questionable choice to go to arbitration in 2018) have been the only RFAs to even enter August without a contract done.

So that makes the wait on Robertson and Oettinger a bit concerning, right? Well, not exactly.

This is just how the game is played. Agents and teams do a little dance, tight roping their way toward the start of the regular season. The agents want to use training camp and Opening Night as leverage. The teams bank on the players not wanting to miss that time on the ice, and later money.

Something about deadlines making deals.

Matt has more, including prospect talk, an Anton Khudobin report, the post-John Klingberg defense, and why you shouldn’t even think about Patrick Kane right now. [SportsDayDFW]

---

Stars Stuff

Saad Yousuf is hitting the mailbag, too. He answers your questions in his latest article.

An update (or lack thereof) on the contract talks of Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger, health updates on Wyatt Johnston and Anton Khudobin, Jamie Benn’s captaincy and legacy, Stars players as New Girl characters and more!

Stars mailbag, part 1 https://t.co/kJY977dXFS

— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) August 26, 2022

Another day, another hot prospect, another ELC.

Around The Leagues

“Heiskanen doesn’t get as much national attention as other up-and-coming NHL players,” and only gets one paragraph here. Seems OK.

Also from NHL.com: Whether you love to hate him or hate to love him, there’s no one quite like John Tortorella.

The WomensWorlds continue with the two best teams being the two best teams, pretty much.

Nazem Kadri celebrated his day with the Stanley Cup in the place where he was born and raised, and it was a pretty big deal.

Nazem Kadri walked out the front doors of the London Muslim Mosque on Saturday and hoisted the Stanley Cup as he celebrated with his hometown communityhttps://t.co/g1K6XaI6Bw

— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) August 27, 2022

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

The Texas Stars keep getting work done, signing Syracuse Crunch blueliner Owen Headrick.

We've got another new face in town! We have signed defenseman Owen Headrick to a one-year AHL contract ✍

Welcome to Texas, Owen!

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— Texas Stars (@TexasStars) August 24, 2022

Finally

Yep.

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Dallas Stars Daily Links: About Those Pending Contracts... - Defending Big D
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Pending Home Sales Slipped 1.0% in July - NAR.realtor

WASHINGTON (August 24, 2022) – Pending home sales declined for the second consecutive month in July, and for the eighth time in the last nine months, according to the National Association of REALTORS^®. Three out of four major regions registered month-over-month decreases, though the West notched a minor gain. Year-over-year, all four regions saw double-digit percentage slides, the largest of which occurred in the West.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI),* www.nar.realtor/pending-home-sales, a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings, slid 1.0% to 89.8 in July. Year-over-year, pending transactions sank 19.9%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001.

"In terms of the current housing cycle, we may be at or close to the bottom in contract signings," said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. "This month's very modest decline reflects the recent retreat in mortgage rates. Inventories are growing for homes in the upper price ranges, but limited supply at lower price points is hindering transaction activity."

In June, housing affordability plummeted to its lowest level since 1989, according to NAR. Accounting for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and a 20% down payment, the monthly mortgage payment on a typical home jumped to $1,944, an increase of 54%, or $679, from one year ago.

"Home prices are still rising by double-digit percentages year-over-year, but annual price appreciation should moderate to the typical rate of 5% by the end of this year and into 2023," Yun added. "With mortgage rates expected to stabilize near 6% alongside steady job creation, home sales should start to rise by early next year."

Pending Home Sales Regional Breakdown

The Northeast PHSI dipped 1.9% from last month to 79.3, down 15.4% from July 2021. The Midwest index retracted 2.7% to 91.2 in July, a 13.4% decline from a year ago.

The South PHSI decreased 1.1% to 106.6 in July, a pullback of 20.0% from the previous year. The West index increased 2.2% in July to 70.0, down 30.1% from July 2021.

The National Association of REALTORS^® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

# # #

*The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.

Pending contracts are good early indicators of upcoming sales closings. However, the amount of time between pending contracts and completed sales is not identical for all home sales. Variations in the length of the process from pending contract to closed sale can be caused by issues such as buyer difficulties with obtaining mortgage financing, home inspection problems, or appraisal issues.

The index is based on a sample that covers about 40% of multiple listing service data each month. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months.

An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined. By coincidence, the volume of existing-home sales in 2001 fell within the range of 5.0 to 5.5 million, which is considered normal for the current U.S. population.

NOTE: Existing-Home Sales for August will be reported on September 21. The next Pending Home Sales Index will be on September 28. All release times are 10 a.m. Eastern.

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Pending Home Sales Slipped 1.0% in July - NAR.realtor
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Ex- EL police officer loses firing challenge; other lawsuits still pending - Morning Journal News

EAST LIVERPOOL — Former East Liverpool police officer Chris Green recently lost the challenge to his 2021 firing, but a federal lawsuit remains pending against the city for money he claims he’s owed for off-duty canine care.

His appeal over a dismissed East Liverpool city income tax case against him also remains open at this time. Also open are appeals by former East Liverpool city service/safety director Brian Allen and his brother Daniel Allen over their assault convictions in a criminal case that contributed to Green ultimately losing his job.

Green filed the federal complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in December, alleging the city should have been paying him overtime when he cared for his former K-9 partner Nero during his off hours. He’s seeking $65,000 in back wages and an additional $65,000 in damages for alleged violations of federal and state fair labor laws.

The case has been referred to mediation, with a status conference set for Sept. 13.

In the tax matter, Green filed an appeal of that case in February in the Seventh District Court of Appeals. Charges of failure to pay city income tax and failure to file city income tax had been dismissed in December, with Green ordered to pay $97 in court costs. That appeal remains pending.

Also pending in the Seventh District Court of Appeals are the appeals filed by the Allen brothers, who were found guilty by a jury in East Liverpool Municipal Court jury of assaulting their nephew, Dillon Allen, in late February 2021. An argument occurred regarding ownership of a hunting crossbow and a deer head that had belonged to the late Gale Allen, Dillon’s father and brother to Brian and Daniel. The family argument led to a fight in the street in front of the Garfield Street home of Linda and Daniel Allen Jr., parents of the Allen brothers. A third brother, David Allen, was acquitted of the assault charge he was facing.

Green was the first officer on the scene that day and his handling of the situation and some of his actions following the incident were contributing factors in his firing, according to a description of the events leading to his dismissal in arbitration documents. He had been placed on paid administrative leave in March 2021 after captains in the police department brought their concerns about Green’s conduct to Mayor Greg Bricker, who ordered an internal investigation by Capt. Darin Morgan. Following the outcome of the investigation, which found he violated department policies multiple times, Green was given a chance to rebut the findings. He didn’t at that time and waived his pre-disciplinary hearing, then was fired June 24 by Bricker and city Safety/Service Director David Dawson.

In response, Green filed a grievance against the city through the Fraternal Order of Police with the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service. Both sides agreed to having the case assigned to an arbitrator, who issued his decision last month, ruling that the city was justified in the firing. The city recently had to pay $4,884, half the cost for the arbitrator.

“Based upon a review of all the facts and circumstances, I do not find sufficient evidence that the city’s decision to terminate the grievant (Green) was an abuse of discretion, capricious or arbitrary,” the ruling stated.

The arbitrator, Jerry B. Sellman, based his decision on testimony and documents from two separate hearings held in East Liverpool on Jan. 25 and April 5. Those testifying for the city included Bricker, Dawson, Morgan, city Deputy Safety/Service Director Jason Jackson, East Liverpool Police Capt. Fred Flati, and the city’s private legal counsel. Witnesses for the union included Green, East Liverpool Police Chief John Lane, city police officer Justin Watkins and legal counsel for the FOP.

Green argued the city had no just cause to let him go. He said he was not dishonest in handling the fight call, referred to as the Allen Call, and did not violate any department policies in handling the call, was not dishonest in his investigatory interview, did not retaliate against his captain supervisor, Flati, did not spread false rumors about a fellow officer and did not bring the department into disrepute with Facebook posts while on paid administrative leave. He also argued if any minor violations did occur, he wasn’t given the right to progressive disciplinary treatment.

The city disagreed, saying he committed gross misconduct by violating numerous policy standards of conduct, was repeatedly dishonest and neglected his duties both during and after the fight call, failed to file a proper report after the call, retaliated against his supervisor for filing a legitimate complaint against him, spread vicious rumors about a fellow police officer claiming he was selling drugs and mocked the city on Facebook posts.

The ruling went into great detail about what happened at the Allen Call, what happened after the call, how Flati found issue with Green’s handling of the investigation and how Green filed a complaint with the chief in retaliation against Flati. The rumor allegation stemmed from unfounded rumors about an officer at another department dealing drugs.

In his ruling, the arbitrator said Green’s misconduct “resulted from one primary event, which spiraled into multiple offenses, which in my opinion, was due to his demonstrated recalcitrant attitude. He was dishonest and did not conduct a proper investigation, probably because the Allen Call involved not only his friends, but a former City Service Director.”

He noted East Liverpool is a small town and “it may be understandable that he did not want to support the filing of any charges because of these relationships, but such action is inimical to properly performing his duties as a law enforcement officer.”

“Being called out on this misconduct caused him to retaliate against his supervisor, which apparently had happened when he was cited for misconduct in the past. This was almost worse than the initial dishonesty, for it destroys any trust an officer would have in another officer, let alone an officer up the chain of command,” the arbitrator wrote.

As for the rumors, the arbitrator said there wasn’t sufficient evidence to show that Green started them. He also ruled that there was no demonstrated harm to the city from the Facebook posts. He noted that the reason for progressive discipline is to correct an employer’s behavior and prevent further misconduct, but an exception can be applied when it’s clear the employee can’t be rehabilitated or has severely damaged the employer/employee relationship to the point it can’t be fixed.

In this case, he said Green had no notable prior disciplinary record and had positive accommodations for his drug enforcement work, but a lack of trust was created due to the dishonesty and retaliation.

The arbitrator also called out Lane’s lack of action regarding complaints about Green.

“It is unfortunate that the Chief of Police has failed to take up investigations in the past when brought to his attention and deemed proper by Captains or filed disciplinary action where appropriate for complaints received in the past, so that progressive discipline could be used as a teaching and rehabilitation tool,” he wrote.

The arbitrator said a mayor or safety director should not have to step in.

“When minor misconduct is not addressed, it can, as it did in this case, lead to more severe misconduct, which can lead to termination as a reasonable and rational discipline.”

Bottom line, he denied Green’s grievance and his decision was final since both sides agreed to the arbitration process.

In another court matter, in June, Green voluntarily dismissed a civil protection order request he had filed against one of his former supervisors, East Liverpool Police Capt. Chad Tatgenhorst.

mgreier@mojonews.com

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Ex- EL police officer loses firing challenge; other lawsuits still pending - Morning Journal News
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Rollover crash hurts driver in Linn County, charges pending - KCRG

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - One person was hurt in a Sunday evening crash in Linn County, according to law enforcement officials.

At around 7:31 p.m., the Linn County Sheriff’s Office was sent to a report of a crash near the corner of Blairs Ferry Road and Waterhouse Lane, located between Cedar Rapids and Palo. Deputies believe that the driver of a pickup truck that was heading east on Blairs Ferry Road lost control, crossed against two lanes of traffic and entered the ditch on the north side of the road. The pickup rolled, but came to rest upright.

The driver was hurt and taken to a nearby hospital. Officials described their injuries as non-life-threatening.

Charges will be filed against the driver for operating while intoxicated, according to officials.

The Hiawatha Police Department, Hiawatha Fire Department, Linn County Rescue, and Hiawatha Ambulance assisted in the emergency response.

Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved.

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Police: Charges pending after bomb scare in Gallitzin forces evacuation - Yahoo News

Aug. 28—GALLITZIN, Pa. — Police blocked off a five-block area of Gallitzin and evacuated at least 200 residents Saturday after a lookalike bomb was found inside a truck, Gallitzin Sgt. Donald Craig said.

The state police's Greensburg-based bomb squad examined the device and was able to verify it wasn't a threat — but it created a tense few hours for responders that will result in criminal charges, Craig said.

He said police were initially dispatched to the parking lot of a Gallitzin social club Saturday on a report of a domestic incident involving two people that police learned had been the subject of another police call earlier that day.

Upon arrival, both individuals fled, Craig said.

In doing so, they left behind their truck, which had an approximately 10-inch long bundle of batteries with a circuit board-style device, he said.

"After I sent photos over to the state police, they told me not to handle it," Craig said.

It turned out to be non-threatening, "but in a situation like this ... it's always better to be safe than sorry," he said.

Police are treating the matter as serious regardless, he said.

Multiple departments from as far away as Ebensburg were called in to assist in an evacuation that included three businesses, he said.

Gallitzin's fire department blocked off a safety zone that extended five blocks to prevent residents from wandering into a potentially dangerous area, Craig added.

He said his department plans to file criminal charges, after discussing the matter with Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer.

One of the individuals sought by police before the device was discovered was located by police and questioned Saturday while another remained on the run, Craig said.

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Public weighs in about pending Lewis & Clark Bridge closure - bigcountrynewsconnection.com

Washington State Department of Transportation is gathering locals’ biggest concerns about the Lewis and Clark Bridge closure planned for next year.

The department held a public open house Tuesday afternoon in the Cowlitz County Event Center to answer questions from the public and provide updates about the construction plans.

The bridge is set to close for as many as six days to replace finger joints and pour concrete on both the Washington and Oregon sides. The temporary shutdown and other construction work will be significant at one of the few options for drivers trying to cross the Columbia River.

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“I’m worried particularly about services for the elderly and people that rely on others to care for them who are on the opposite side of the bridge,” Becky Moorhead said. Moorhead lives on the Washington side but regularly crosses the bridge to see family in Rainier or other travel.

The department received 1,605 responses to an online survey it offered about the closure in the first half of August. Summaries of some survey answers were posted on the signs around the event room as part of the department’s presentation.

More than half of survey responders said their biggest concerns for the project were about the detour routes that would be available during the full closure and the delays and congestion that the extended construction process would cause. Some 35% of responders said they relied on the bridge to get to work.

From the public feedback the agency received, WSDOT regional spokesperson Kelly Hanahan said the concerns about medical access and care stood out. She said the department is planning stakeholder meetings with medical practices and emergency services to plan around those needs.

“We want to do the stakeholder work, so we can come up with the best solutions to the comments that were made in the public survey. We’re not going to cerate decisions in a vacuum,” Hanahan said.

As part of the open house Tuesday, WSDOT held a roundtable for emergency services to discuss emergency access to the bridge they might need during the closure and different methods that could be used to organize those crossings.

Moorhead said that WSDOT had done a “great job communicating what’s going to happen” well in advance of the project.

The survey results may also affect the timing of when the construction work actually takes place next year. More than 60% of respondents said they preferred a closure over the weekend to the weekdays. Fewer than 25% said they wanted the full closure to happen around a holiday.

The Department of Transportation is going out for construction bids in November. Once a contract for the project is finalized, exact dates for the closure and other work will be announced around the beginning of 2023.

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Man charged with slashing dozens of tires released pending mental health evaluation - Eagle-Tribune

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Police: Charges pending after bomb scare in Gallitzin - TribDem.com

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More than 70 Steamboat residents fear displacement with pending sale of mobile home park - Steamboat Pilot & Today

Whitehaven Mobile Home Park resident Jake Dombrowski stands outside his west Steamboat Springs home Aug. 26 2022. Dombrowski, a 2007 Steamboat Springs High School graduate, said he purchased his home prior to the pandemic, and is now among 70 residents that could lose their home.
John F. Russell/Steamboat Pilot & Today

About two weeks ago, Kim Osterhout, Jake Dombrowski and their neighbors at the Whitehaven Mobile Home Park figuratively, and almost literally, had the rug pulled out from under them.

The residents of the mobile home park on the west side of Steamboat Springs received a notice of sale informing them the owner of the property had received an offer from an unnamed buyer to sell the land under their homes for a little over $3 million.

Now, the community has less than 90 days to match that $3 million offer or risk an uncertain future.

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Osterhout and Dombrowski have lived together in Whitehaven for more than five years. They are two of about 70 residents who worry the potential buyer will redevelop the land and displace the occupants of 27 homes on the property. 

“(Whitehaven Mobile Home Park) has been around for the past 35 years,” Osterhout wrote in an email. “Some of the residents have been a part of this community for a long time. We have people in our park that are the fourth generation in Steamboat, we have business owners, we have single-parent families and homes that have three generations living together.”

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While the mobile homes at Whitehaven are individually owned, the lot they occupy is owned by Whitehaven LLC, which has a mailing address in Omaha, Nebraska, that belongs to the Omaha Paper Company. Attempts to contact Whitehaven LLC on Friday, Aug. 26, were unsuccessful.

After an amendment in 2020 to the Colorado Mobile Home Park Act, owners in such parks are given the ability to purchase the property when the landlord anticipates selling or changing the use of the land.

“We were given the letter technically two weeks ago, but half of the households are Spanish-speaking,” said Osterhout. “And there was no Spanish copy given until yesterday.”

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Nelly Navarro, the executive director of Integrated Community, said Spanish-speaking residents of the Whitehaven community came to the organization with stacks of papers they needed translated.

While interpreting the letters, Navarro and her staff realized what was at stake. They reached out to the Yampa Valley Housing Authority to get help interpreting the documents and inform the residents of their options.

Because the letters were so long, it took Navarro’s office about a week to translate the letters and get them back to the community. 

Cars line the street of the Whitehaven Mobile Home Park Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. The more than 70 residents of the park could soon lose their homes after a developer has made an offer on the west Steamboat Springs property.
John F. Russell/Steamboat Pilot & Today

“Just reading the document was really shocking,” said Navarro. “There was just a lot of concern from residents to quickly gather and support each other.”

In a joint meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25, with Integrated Community and the housing authority, residents of Whitehaven were informed of their right to purchase the land.

Residents have expressed fears that a new owner might displace the homeowners, ramp up lot fees or potentially remove some of the older units. Most of the mobile homes at Whitehaven are too old to be moved, so the money invested in them could be lost if that happened.

Many Whitehaven residents also said they aren’t comfortable leaving things to chance and would rather band together to raise the money they need, even though that might still be out of reach. 

Doing the math, each homeowner would need to contribute around $115,000 toward the purchase, Osterhout said, adding she believes that is unrealistic without help, which she hopes to find in the community through donations and grants. 

Alyssa Cartmill, the regional property manager for the Yampa Valley Housing Authority, said she and other staff at the housing authority have been working to connect Whitehaven residents with resources and nonprofits such as Thistle, a Boulder-based group that has a successful track record of helping mobile home parks transition to “resident-owned communities.”

“It’s literally 100% local workforce people who live there,” said Jason Peasley, the executive director of the Yampa Valley Housing Authority. 

Joining the ranks with Integrated Community and the housing authority, Steamboat Planning and Community Development Director Rebecca Bessey is meeting with Jennifer Bock, the assistant city attorney, to see what role the city might play in aiding the Whitehaven residents.

Osterhout said purchasing the lot is the goal. She said more money would be needed to invest in infrastructure, as about half of the units in the park have been without running water for weeks.

She also said she has reached out to the landlord multiple times but has yet to communicate with them. 

“It’s definitely a little stressful,” Osterhout said.

To reach Spencer Powell, call 970-871-4229 or email him at spowell@SteamboatPilot.com

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Might Boston Red Sox, pending free agent Michael Wacha reunite in 2023? ‘It’s a very cool place to play’ - MassLive.com

BOSTON — Michael Wacha has allowed just six hits in 12 ⅔ scoreless innings (two starts) since returning from the 15-day IL, lowering his ERA to 2.28 in 15 starts with the Red Sox.

He knew he had this kind of season in him.

“Most definitely,” Wacha said. “I’ve always believed in myself that whenever I’m healthy, I feel very confident in my abilities to go out there and get the job done. So that’s just the main goal is trying to stay healthy. Obviously this year hasn’t gone that great health-wise. But I feel like whenever I am out there, I am healthy and I feel like I can get good results. So yeah, I’ve always believed in myself that I can put together a season (like this).”

There’s great uncertainty surrounding the Red Sox starting rotation heading into this coming offseason. Wacha, Nathan Eovaldi and Rich Hill are eligible for free agency.

Chris Sale has made just 11 regular season starts in the first three years of a five-year, $145-million extension. Meanwhile, James Paxton (rehabbing from Tommy John surgery) won’t pitch at all in 2022 after suffering a Grade 2 lat tear last week.

Boston has to decide whether to exercise both Paxton’s option years worth $26 million total simultaneously when the offseason begins. If the Red Sox decline it, Paxton has the ability to opt in for one year, $4 million.

With all the uncertainty and need to add starting pitching, perhaps the Red Sox extend Wacha a qualifying offer. Making an effort to re-sign him makes sense.

Wacha — who has had two IL stints this year (left intercostal irritation, right shoulder inflammation) — is open to returning.

“Yes, most definitely,” Wacha said. “For sure, yeah.”

That said, Wacha hasn’t thought much about his pending free agency.

“I haven’t really thought about it like that,” Wacha said. “There’s still a lot of games left to be played. And that is kind of stuff that I can’t really control right now. I try to leave that stuff for the offseason. But as far as how I’m liking Boston, I’m loving it here. The staff here is amazing. The players on this team have become really good friends of mine, and I just jell really nicely with them and get along with everyone. Just really good ballplayers and a good team. I love it here. The fans are great. Getting to play in front of a packed stadium every night is something that should never get taken for granted. It’s a very cool place to play. Putting on this Red Sox uni is something I’ll always remember, for sure.”

Wacha said last November (after signing with Boston) his changeup in 2021 felt the nastiest it has ever felt. It was by far his best pitch last year. He held opponents to a .207 batting average and .355 slugging percentage when he threw it.

The pitch has been even more effective this season.

“I know it’s got very similar action, movement and kind of results that I’ve had going back to last year,” Wacha said.

Opponents are batting only .155 with a .206 slugging percentage against his changeup this year, per Baseball Savant. It’s his second most used pitch behind only his four-seam fastball. He has thrown it 30.2%.

“I think just continuing to throw it and continuing to get the feel for it and when to throw it in certain counts,” Wacha said. “I think this year I’ve kind of taken that step — when the best times to throw it are and the best batters to throw it against.”

His sinker usage also has increased. He’s throwing the pitch 14.1% this season compared to 3.3% last year, per Baseball Savant. Opponents are batting just .127 with a .127 slugging percentage against it.

He actually began throwing the pitch more often toward the end of last season when he posted a 3.20 ERA and 3.14 FIP over his final eight outings (seven starts) for Tampa Bay.

“I think it’s just a different look,” Wacha said. “It’s got a little tail to it, a little run on it. It’s not much of a sinker. I’d call it more of a two-seam because it just kind of runs. It doesn’t have much sink action to it. But it kind of gets that horizontal movement. It’s definitely a different pitch from my four-seam. So just having a couple different fastballs to give them a different look, kind of just changes it up with similar velocity as well.”

Wacha stopped throwing his cutter altogether during the middle of last season but he’s back to throwing it again in 2022.

“I think I just didn’t have quite the feel for it last year and it was missing over the plate,” Wacha said. “I was inconsistent with the shape and location of it. Whenever you looked at the numbers, it was the pitch that was getting hit the most. So I tried going a different route with something. But it’s something that whenever I’ve got it controlled and down, it’s a pitch that breaks away from righties and can tie up a lefty. Because it’s still pretty firm I guess off my heater. And so I’ve just gotta be very conscious of where I’m throwing it and where I can miss with it.”

Wacha has a 4.00 career ERA.

He dominated in his first three major league seasons (2013-15), posting a 3.21 ERA in 64 outings (58 starts). He had a 4.56 ERA over his next two seasons but he had a 3.76 FIP, indicating he pitched better than his stats showed.

His only two really down years were 2019 and the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

“2016, I started off good and unfortunately, I had an injury,” Wacha said. “It was a little grind getting back in there. And then I got put into the bullpen and (made) some spots starts there. Once I came back, my numbers were not great. The ball was not coming out good. But at the start of the year, I felt much better for sure. And in ‘17, I go back and look at that year as the best the ball has come out, I feel like, besides the last couple months last year and this year. I’d say very similar to that. ‘17, I felt the ball was coming out really well. And in this game, sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes it doesn’t. And I felt like I was a victim of a lot of bad luck that year.”

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Transfer of Bridge City inmates to Angola paused pending September hearing - KSLA

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The governor’s plan to move violent juvenile inmates from Bridge City to Angola will be paused at least until a federal judge hears arguments in court.

The proposed move was spurred by the escape of six inmates from the facility, at least the fourth escape so far this year.

In a conference call Tuesday (Aug. 23), a judge scheduled a hearing for Sept. 6. Governor John Bel Edwards has agreed not to move to incarcerated youth until at least Sept. 15.

Civil rights attorneys who filed the lawsuit asked to stop the move because they say it violates the juveniles’ constitutional rights by transferring them to a “dangerous adult prison without plans for providing them with important services like counseling and education.”

About 25 juvenile offenders are set to be transferred after repeated breakouts and reports of violence and riots at the troubled facility.

“They are going to have to find a place that’s secure,” attorney Ron Haley said after Tuesday’s conference call. “Not only to protect the children but the community. But the answer to that question cannot be to house in the same campus as adult prisoners. You’re just going to hand select these groups and then decide to place them there without any type of due process.”

RELATED STORIES

• ‘I have no sympathy’: Wife of shot carjacking victim wants Bridge City youth inmates transferred now
• Timeline still unclear for transferring violent Bridge City juvenile inmates to Angola

The wife of a man who remains in critical condition after police say a Bridge City escapee shot and carjacked him last month says she wants the juveniles transferred sooner rather than later.

“I want justice. You do adult crimes, you serve adult time. That’s the way it should be,” she said. “I have no sympathy. I have no empathy. My family’s never going to be the same.”

The judge has ordered the state to release a detailed plan within 24 hours. The Office of Juvenile Justice says the transfer plan is temporary until a more permanent solution is implemented.

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U.S. Pending Home Sales Drop To Lowest Since Start Of The Pandemic - Financial Advisor Magazine

U.S. pending home sales fell in July for the sixth time this year to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic, extending the housing market’s sharp downturn as high borrowing costs sideline prospective buyers.

The National Association of Realtors’ index of contract signings to purchase previously owned homes decreased 1% from a month earlier to 89.8, according to data released Wednesday. That followed a nearly 9% decline in June. 

The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 2.6% drop in July.

High home prices and a run-up in mortgage rates this year have pushed home ownership out of reach for many would-be buyers. The pullback has been swift and severe, with a range of measures pointing to weaker sales and construction activity.

The monthly bill on a typical home with a 20% down payment rose to $1,841 in the second quarter, according to a separate NAR report out earlier this month. That’s up 32%, or $444, from the first quarter and a 50% jump from a year earlier.

“This month’s very modest decline reflects the recent retreat in mortgage rates,” Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, said in a statement. “Inventories are growing for homes in the upper price ranges, but limited supply at lower price points is hindering transaction activity.”

While borrowing costs eased in July, the average contract rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has crept back up in August, according to recent data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Contract signings decreased in three of four regions, led by a 2.7% drop in the Midwest. Pending home sales rose in the West.

Compared with a year earlier, contract signings were down 22.5% on an unadjusted basis.

Pending home sales are often looked to as a leading indicator of existing-home purchases given properties typically go under contract a month or two before they’re sold. 

--With assistance from Chris Middleton.

This article was provided by Bloomberg News.

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Thai court suspends PM Prayuth pending term limit review - Reuters

• Summary

• Court to hear opposition request for review of 8-year limit
• Gives Thai PM 15 days to respond to the decision
• Move throws Thai politics into confusion
• Deputy prime minister to take over as interim leader

BANGKOK, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Thailand's Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Wednesday after accepting a petition from an opposition party seeking his ousting on the grounds that he has held office for his full, legally mandated term.

The petition filed to parliament last week by the main opposition Pheu Thai party argued that Prayuth's time spent as head of a military junta, after he staged a coup when he was army chief in 2014, should count towards his constitutionally stipulated eight-year term.

Though Prayuth could be restored to his position when the court rules on the petition, the surprise suspension threw Thai politics into confusion.

"The court has considered the petition and related documents and sees that the facts from the petition are cause for questioning as demanded," it said.

Prayuth has 15 days to respond, the court told media in a statement, adding that a panel of judges ruled five to four in favour of his suspension, starting from Wednesday.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said Prayuth respected the court's decision and had ceased active duty, adding that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan would take over as interim leader and the suspension would have no impact on the government's work.

"Prime Minister Prayuth also urged the people to respect the decision of the court and avoid criticising the decision that could further create division," Anucha said.

It was not clear when the court would deliver a final ruling on the petition.

Prayuth ruled as head of a military council after he overthrow an elected government in 2014.

He became a civilian prime minister in 2019 following an election held under a 2017 military-drafted constitution in which an eight-year limit for a prime minister was set.

Thailand's next general election is due by May next year.

In its review request, the Pheu Thai party, which was forced from power in the 2014 coup, argued that Prayuth should leave office this week because his time as junta chief should count towards his term.

The party's leader, Chonlanan Srikaew, said in making its decision the court had reflected the party's concern about the legality and legitimacy of various laws in the absence of a suspension. He declined to make any further comment.

Nearly two-thirds of Thais also want Prayuth out of office by this month, a recent poll showed.

But some supporters argue his term started in 2017, when the new constitution took effect, or after the 2019 election, meaning that he should be allowed to stay in power until 2025 or 2027, if elected.

CALL FOR NEW ELECTION

The controversy is the latest in a country that suffered intermittent political turmoil for nearly two decades, including two coups and violent protests, stemming broadly from opposition to military involvement in politics and demands for greater representation as political awareness grows.

Pro-democracy activists have campaigned against Prayuth and his government, arguing that the 2019 election was not legitimate although student-led demonstrations petered out over the past couple of years with the imposition of COVID-19 bans on gatherings.

Activists gathered again this week in anticipation of the court decision.

Nearly 100 pro-democracy protesters at Bangkok's Democracy Monument welcomed Prayuth's suspension but said it was not enough and they planned a march later on Wednesday to press their point.

"We're not just content with suspending Prayuth from duty, we want parliament dissolved and a snap election," said a woman activist who identified herself as just Manee.

"Prayuth stole power from a woman and became prime minister in a coup," she said, referring to the prime minister ousted in 2014, Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of former prime minister and telecoms tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra.

Both Yingluck and Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, live abroad in self-exile.

Defence ministry spokesman Kongchep Tantravanich said the military supported any government.

Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Panu Wongcha-um; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel; Editing by Kay Johnson, Clarence Fernandez and Alison Williams

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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