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Brown’s budget draws careful criticism

Fresh from his historic inauguration to a fourth term as governor, Jerry Brown unveiled his proposed 2015 budget with a Friday press conference that swiftly attracted reactions from Sacramento and beyond. All told, Brown envisions a general fund totaling $113.3 billion.

CA regulations hatch legal food fights

James Poulos January 9, 2015

Have you noticed egg prices going up as much as 40 cents a dozen? Look to California voters. In 2008, they passed Proposition 2, which mandated more comfortable hatching quarters for chickens. Because of the cost to farmers of expanding chicken

CA Democrats jockey to replace Boxer

John January 9, 2015

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer’s retirement announcement couldn’t come soon enough for the next generation of California Democrats, who’ve eagerly waited for the chance to move up. The 2016 election, according to the Associated Press, will be “a free-for-all among a new

Federal judge strikes down CA foie gras ban

John January 8, 2015

Bon appétit. A federal judge has struck down California’s prohibition on foie gras — more than a decade after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law the nation’s first ban on the culinary treat. U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson ruled Wednesday that

Ground broken on troubled high-speed rail project

Kathy Hamilton January 7, 2015

Yesterday in Fresno the California High-Speed Rail Authority officially conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for its bullet-train project – but no dirt actually was turned. After an hour of speeches, a “ceremonial signing” of a railroad tie was conducted by

Gov. Brown boosts energy-policy leverage

John January 7, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown believes it will take “pragmatic caution” and “active collaboration” to achieve his goal of seeing half of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2030. “How we achieve these goals and at what pace will take great thought

Gov. Brown’s 50% renewable goal a tough target

Wayne Lusvardi January 6, 2015

In his Jan. 5 inaugural address for his historic fourth term as California’s governor, Jerry Brown proposed an ambitious expansion of California’s renewable energy goals from 33 to 50 percent by 2030. The current level in 2015 is 20 percent renewables.

Referendum threat ties CA bag ban in knots

James Poulos January 6, 2015

California’s tug-of-war over the legality of single-use plastic bags will get another twist in 2015. Thanks to a determined signature collection campaign mounted by industry opponents, a referendum putting the ban to a vote now seems certain to land on state ballots in 2016.

Pasadena struck with Bell-like scandal

Wayne Lusvardi January 5, 2015

Pasadena has a reputation of being run by good-government liberals. But now it’s immersed in a scandal that could rival that of Bell and its infamous former administrator, Robert Rizzo. The Pasadena Star News reported, “Los Angeles County District Attorney’s

New 2015 laws: Hollywood wins, in-home care loses

John January 2, 2015

New Year’s Day sure wasn’t a holiday from new regulations: 2015 brings 931 new laws Californians must obey. Some took effect on Jan. 1; others will later in the year. State lawmakers — with the approval of Gov. Jerry Brown — have changed how