The 2024 California State Fair in Sacramento opens today! Every year through an interagency collaboration, the Forest Service, CAL FIRE, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Firefighters Burn Institute brings visitors of all ages a fun, educational, and interactive fire safety and prevention exhibit called Camp Smokey.

This year, visitors to Camp Smokey can earn a free limited edition Smokey Bear 80th birthday bandana by completing each of the six unique education stations. People of all ages are invited to start by picking up a passport for their journey at the Incident Command Post. They will learn about home and wildland fire safety, fire prevention, responsible recreation, the history of Smokey Bear, traditional Native American uses of fire, and fire’s role in nature. Smokey Bear and his friends perform a fun and educational puppet show at the top of each hour. This year, guests will receive a limited-edition item at the completion of each station!

Guests will have the opportunity to tour fire trucks, play games, win prizes, saw logs to brand and take home, dress up like a firefighter, learn from expert fire safety personnel and so much more! Camp Smokey is open every day of the State Fair Monday through Thursday from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M., and Friday through Sunday from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.  The California State Fair runs from July 12th through July 28th, 2024.

New exhibits this year include a Bureau of Indian Affairs Community Arbor, Forest Service Ranger House, Bureau of Land Management Trail improvements, and Interagency interactive 911 learning experience where guests can practice calling 911 and relaying vital information to a live dispatcher during an emergency.

On Saturday July 20th, at 12:15 P.M. Camp Smokey’s interagency team will be hosting an 80th birthday celebration for Smokey Bear. There will be activities, cake, and of course Smokey himself!

For more information, please visit the Camp Smokey webpage or follow us on Facebook.

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Law Students

White male law student settles suit against Chicago Bears over ‘legal diversity fellow’ position

By Debra Cassens Weiss

September 5, 2024, 10:36 am CDT

A student at the DePaul University College of Law has settled a lawsuit claiming that the Chicago Bears football team refused to consider him for a “legal diversity fellow” position because he is a white man.

Law student Jonathan Bresser Jr. had alleged race and sex discrimination in his March 11 suit, filed in federal court for the Northern District of Illinois.

A notice posted by the court clerk said the parties had reached a binding settlement agreement, Law360 reports.

The Chicago Bears posted the fellowship position in November 2023. The posting said the team was looking for a “person of color and/or female law student,” according to Bresser’s suit. Bresser said he met all other requirements when he applied for the job.

Bresser noted that he had more than two years of experience as a litigation paralegal at the Trent Law Firm, which represented him in the case.

Hat tip to Above the Law and TaxProf Blog, which noted the suit resolution.

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3. Law student’s suit alleges Chicago Bears…

Law Students

Law student’s suit alleges Chicago Bears didn’t hire him as ‘legal diversity fellow’ because he is white man

By Debra Cassens Weiss

March 25, 2024, 10:05 am CDT

A first-year student at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago claims in a lawsuit that the Chicago Bears football team refused to consider him for a “legal diversity fellow” position because he is a white man.

Student Jonathan Bresser Jr. claims in the March 11 suit that he is qualified for the position because he has more than two years of experience as a litigation paralegal at the Trent Law Firm, which is also representing him in the case.

Law360 and Bloomberg Law have coverage, while JD Supra has analysis of the case, filed in federal court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The suit includes a sentence from the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down race-conscious university admissions programs at two schools.

“Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it,” the Supreme Court said, citing an earlier case.

A job posting emailed in November 2023 said the Chicago Bears team was looking for a “person of color and/or female law student,” according to the suit. Bresser applied, intending to submit his grades as a supplement to his application when they became available, as the job posting allowed.

Bresser was rejected Jan. 5, before he submitted his grades. The previous month, Bresser said, he received a notification that his LinkedIn profile had been viewed by a Chicago Bears employee. The LinkedIn profile included a photo.

On March 1, nearly two months after rejecting Bresser, the Chicago Bears requested Bresser’s grades transcript, “attempting to claw back” the rejection, the suit says. The request happened after the team received Bresser’s charge of discrimination and right to sue letter.

Bresser alleges race and sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Illinois Human Rights Act, race discrimination in contracting in violation of Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act, civil conspiracy, and conspiracy to interfere with civil rights in violation of Section 1985 of the Civil Rights Act.

A Chicago Bears spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Law360.