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CA Judge hands Uber fresh challenge

A San Francisco lawsuit pushing to make Uber drivers employees has gathered steam dramatically, thanks to a new ruling that the case against the dominant rideshare company can proceed as a class action. A big issue The hotly-anticipated decision by

State Senate approves bill to revive Kelo-style redevelopment

John September 10, 2015

California has moved one step closer to the return of redevelopment and the controversial power to seize private property through eminent domain. The state Senate approved legislation Wednesday that would give local governments the power to create new entities, known as

CA may save enough to skip big water works

James Poulos September 10, 2015

Demonstrating the simple power of reducing daily water usage, Californians have impressed regulators and policymakers by taking a huge bite out of statewide consumption. “The numbers reflect broad conservation success at a crucial time,” the Sacramento Bee reported. “Last year,

CA Dems split on legislation mandating emissions cuts

James Poulos September 10, 2015

Landmark climate legislation has run aground in Sacramento, hobbled by a rebellion among Democrats skittish of being tied by constituents to the potential economic impact of further mandated emissions cuts. Inadequate support The unanticipated struggle threw supporters of the bill, including Gov. Jerry Brown,

Brown offers infrastructure compromise plan

James Poulos September 9, 2015

Shifting gears from a public hands-off approach, Brown gave California lawmakers his own take on how to reach an agreement over new infrastructure spending. Brown’s proposal would impose $65 fees on drivers each year “and higher gas taxes to fund a

San Francisco voters to weigh temporary ban on new construction in Mission District

Dave Roberts September 8, 2015

A housing moratorium on San Francisco’s November ballot is aimed at keeping rents and housing prices affordable in the city’s Mission District, where prices have nearly doubled in five years. But opponents say it will have the opposite effect. Proposition

Water-independent Riverside forced to cut use 28%

Chris Reed September 6, 2015

The grousing over Gov. Jerry Brown’s April order of sweeping cutbacks in water use — from 12 percent to 36 percent, depending on local factors — was widespread and instantaneous. Farmers in urban areas objected to facing more cutbacks than

CA center gives military new tech leap

James Poulos September 6, 2015

Hoping to change the way the defense industry innovates, the Obama administration has pushed the Department of Defense much deeper into Silicon Valley. The Pentagon announced a sizable new investment anchored by a new Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Flexible Hybrid

CA seeks water relief from pot farmers

James Poulos September 5, 2015

California’s protracted drought has upended business as usual for many of the Golden State’s marijuana farmers, who now face both increased scrutiny and increased cooperation from regulators. An uneasy partnership With the prospect of a big ballot initiative on recreational

Assembly Republicans select Chad Mayes as next leader

John September 4, 2015

Come January, Assembly Republicans will have a new leader. On Tuesday, the 28 Republican members of the lower house selected Assemblyman Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley as their next leader. The caucus did not release the specific tally for the