Archive
Back to homepage
Big water importers dealt minimal cutbacks
Gov. Jerry Brown has mandated an overall 25 percent reduction in urban water usage over the next nine months – equivalent to 1.3 million acre-feet, or enough to supply 7.8 million people. But does Brown’s plan target where the most
Read More
Brown debuts big budget revision
Gov. Jerry Brown has unveiled the highly-anticipated revision to his annual state budget, teeing up final spending negotiations in Sacramento — largely with his fellow Democrats. Despite a resurgence in California’s fiscal fortunes, including tax receipts some $2 billion in
Read More
U.S. Senate 2016: Loretta Sanchez announces campaign for Boxer’s seat
Flanked by a group of supporters at the Santa Ana train station, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, D-Garden Grove, officially launched her campaign to succeed retiring U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. Thursday’s announcement, one day before the California Democratic Party’s spring convention, sets up
Read More
CA’s history of direct democracy sometimes brings out ‘crackpots’
This week, lawmakers once again loudly proclaimed their outrage at a proposed ballot initiative that would allow voters to decide whether gay people should be shot. The notion is both sickening and unconstitutional, but it’s also part of California’s political
Read More
Poor in CA whipsawed by disorganized health agencies
Poor people in California — starting with individuals who make less than $16,200 — are eligible for subsidized health care from Medi-Cal. About 12 million people are enrolled in the state program. Individuals who make from $16,200 to about $60,000
Read More
Road repair bill would raise transportation taxes, fees
California motorists will each be paying an extra $900 over the next five years for road maintenance if Senate Bill 16 is approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. But that $18.4 billion increase in transportation taxes
Read More
Self-driving cars hit PR bump on CA roads
Google admitted that its self-driving cars had racked up some dings on California’s streets, prompting a flurry of interest and caution among analysts closely watching the tech giant’s foray onto American roads. Reported NBC News: “Four of the nearly 50 self-driving
Read More
Tiered price ruling rocks CA water districts
A recent court ruling’s effects on water pricing have upset California’s already tenuous balance between cost and availability. As CalWatchdog.com reported last month, “the 4th District Court of Appeal struck down San Juan Capistrano’s tiered water fee plan because it violated Prop. 218’s restriction
Read More
Study: CA hospitals waste money by ignoring ‘big data’
The “Moneyball” phenomenon of using advanced statistical analysis to gain advantage in professional sports has picked up steam over the past dozen years, to the point where it has broadly depressed scoring in baseball, as fielders are positioned precisely based
Read More