Posts From James Poulos
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SCOTUS hears CA Friedrichs case
After years of mounting controversy over compulsory unionization, public pensions and other labor issues, California has sent the Supreme Court a case that could change the power of unions in America overnight. As the court hears oral arguments, the challenge has made
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Huge CA Powerball sales sharpen lottery debate
Californians joined in the country’s fever over an extraordinary Powerball prize, leading the nation in ticket sales — but not without raising conflicting feelings about the lottery. “In California, about 80 cents of every $2 ticket sold goes toward education,” as the
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L.A. gets Rams, maybe Chargers
After a frenetic final sequence where NFL intrigue reached a fever pitch, team owners voted to approve the relocation of the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles, with an option extended to San Diego’s disgruntled Chargers franchise. “The Rams’ home will
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Feds probe Nestle’s CA operations
Nestle, which has spent months weathering attacks on its water bottling practices in California, has been targeted by the federal government for investigation. “Under pressure from environmental groups’ lawsuits, the U.S. Forest Service has begun a comprehensive environmental review of Switzerland-based bottled water
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CA cities take advantage of misworded marijuana law
California marijuana law has lurched into a new phase of disarray. But legislators in Sacramento have swung into action to correct the mistake behind the chaos. At fault was a drafting error in a key piece of legislation designed to
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Brown debuts 2016-17 budget
More permanent state spending would be devastating to California, Gov. Jerry Brown announced — at least in the midst of another recession. Unveiling his budget for the new fiscal year, Brown flourished a chart bearing that warning, although the proposal
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CA secures federal extension on ID compliance
Amid fears of travel debacles and administrative nightmares, the federal government gave California a last-minute extension to become compliant with new nationwide ID requirements. At the mercy of the Department of Homeland Security, California had joined a number of states in
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Brown declares emergency over gas leak
Gov. Jerry Brown has intervened as activists, analysts and residents decried a massive ongoing leak in a Los Angeles-area gas pipeline. “More than two months after a natural gas leak began emitting large amounts of a greenhouse gas near a wealthy neighborhood here, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a
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Sacramento mired in budget bickering
Having failed to deliver during a special legislative session Gov. Jerry Brown called last year, Sacramento Democrats and Republicans squared off on Medi-Cal and infrastructure spending this week. A large health care hole has developed in the current state budget, driven
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CA schools pass weakened assessments
Californians troubled by the public school drive toward statewide standardized testing now face a reformed — but weaker — system of assessment. Two separate policy changes fueled the about-face. At the federal level, Congress turned its back on No Child Left Behind,
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