Blog

Diablo Canyon’s fate: Greens suspect PG&E con game

One down, one to go. That’s the mind-set of nuclear power opponents who rejoiced over the 2012 closure of the malfunctioning San Onofre nuclear plant in northern San Diego County and are now setting their sights on Pacific Gas &

Dealing with the Porter Ranch gas leak aftermath

Joel Fox January 12, 2016

In front a background of a steady stream of work vehicles ascending the Santa Susana Mountains to the Porter Ranch Aliso Canyon methane gas storage facility, several state senators laid out plans for dealing with the leak’s aftermath once the

CTA expects to lose landmark Supreme Court case

Chris Reed January 10, 2016

The most recent State Worker column by Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee said 2016 was “perhaps the most significant year for government workers in decades” because of the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case, which the U.S. Supreme Court

4 or more tax measures likely on crowded fall ballot

Chris Reed January 6, 2016

With low state turnout in the 2014 election making it much easier than normal to qualify a ballot measure for elections this year, Californians may see their most overloaded ballot yet. The glut includes several proposals to raise taxes or

Will 2016 be the ‘Year of the Initiative’?

Joel Fox January 5, 2016

The Legislature is back in town this week but in the major policy issues department the Legislature is likely to be a sideshow in what can be labeled the Year of the Initiative. With a rush to place measures on

Broad gets ammo in push to expand L.A. charter schools

Chris Reed January 1, 2016

As a huge fight draws near over charter schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District between the California Teachers Association and billionaire philanthropist and school reformer Eli Broad, a massive new study by UC Berkeley researchers gives Broad ammunition

UC drops investments in response to activists’ gripes

Chris Reed December 31, 2015

For the second time in three months, University of California pension administrators have ended their investments in specific industries after receiving complaints from student activists, spurring criticism that investments should be focused on returns — not on making political or

CA high court rejects bid to expand CEQA’s scope

Chris Reed December 29, 2015

The California Supreme Court has rejected a bold bid by San Francisco regulators to sharply increase the scope of the California Environmental Quality Act, the landmark 1970 law that has helped shape the Golden State’s housing patterns and economy for

CA fish-farming: Concept praised, but project opposed

Chris Reed December 28, 2015

Eating fish is very healthy. Risks of overfishing are growing. For both these reasons, government officials around the world have frequently offered broad, general praise for aquaculture — fish farming — and its potential to provide a large new supply of healthy

State, prison guard union on collision course again

Chris Reed December 23, 2015

The state is heading for a showdown with the prison guards union over allegations of extreme guard misconduct at the remote High Desert State Prison in Susanville, 150 miles northeast of Sacramento. A harrowing state inspector general’s report depicts an