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• Santa Tracker • Political newsmakers of 2009 -- It's been a busy and entertaining year at the Buzz homestead. We've laughed, we've cried. We've watch politicians emerge and we seen them die. We listened to them brag about sex and, of course, we've heard them lie. MARTIN WISCKOL in the Orange County Register -- 12/24/09 Fox and Hounds Daily’s Black Bart Award for 2009 -- Fox and Hounds Daily’s Black Bart Award as Californian of the Year in Politics goes to: Abel Maldonado. He was named by all three of our nominators as someone whose impact was felt in the California political world. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds weblog -- 12/24/09 Calling it Like We See it on the Senate Health Care Bill -- At CALPIRG, we've got a 35-year history of calling like we see it. Mike Russo Cal Progress Report -- 12/24/09 California population dispute lingers -- Federal and state demographers have conducted a polite argument over California's population for nearly a decade and now are more than 1.5 million persons apart - a dispute that may be settled by the 2010 census. Dan Walters SacBee Capitol Alert -- 12/24/09 New US jobless claims fall unexpectedly to 452,000 -- A fitful economic recovery is drawing strength from a stabilizing job market and signs that manufacturing will contribute to the rebound. Daniel Wagner and Martin Crutsinger AP -- 12/24/09 AIG execs haven’t repaid millions in bonuses, despite promise -- In ‘So you nearly destroyed the global economy? Here’s your bonus!’, we told you that American International Group’s hands were tied, and it simply had to pay $165 million “retention pay” to executives in its financial products division (the very division that sold the insane investments that caused its near collapse and required a $180 billion bailout from the federal government). Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 12/24/09 Wood fires banned on Christmas Day -- Bah humbug. Revelers will have to huddle around the space heater on Christmas Day, because air quality officials — taking no holiday — have declared another Spare the Air alert. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/24/09
Governor's deficit cure: Layoffs, furlough extensions, program cuts -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to save $1.6 billion in state employee costs by extending monthly furloughs past June, laying off staff or shifting general fund workers into state jobs financed by other revenues, according to sources familiar with the governor's forthcoming budget proposal. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/24/09 Schwarzenegger's plan to again raid transit funds angers rider advocates -- The governor's proposal to help balance California's budget, which would cut as much as $1 billion from public transportation, could trigger more route closures and fare hikes for buses and trains. Shane Goldmacher and Ari B. Bloomekatz in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Schwarzenegger makes last plea to U.S. Supreme Court in prison case -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration has made one last plea to the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the legality of a federal court's unprecedented order requiring California to shed nearly 40,000 inmates from its prison system over the next two years. Howard Mintz in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/24/09 Schwarzenegger Presses U.S. for More Aid for Needy California -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken advantage of the holiday lull before the next state budget storm to serve notice on the federal government that he will come looking for billions more in aid. RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD in the New York Times -- 12/24/09 Boxer, Feinstein take heat on health care bill's abortion language -- As the U.S. Senate prepares to pass a historic health care bill early today, California's two Democratic senators find themselves facing something of a dilemma. Rob Hotakainen in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/24/09 California Dems plan to address gov's Medicaid worries -- California's Democratic congressional leaders said Wednesday they hope to address concerns raised by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger about the cost of health insurance legislation moving through Congress. KEVIN FREKING AP -- 12/24/09 State Worker: Furlough endgame is hard to play -- Although he's said the furloughs would expire on June 30, the end of the 2009-10 fiscal year, The Bee has reported that the governor will push back the expiration date. What might change that? Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/24/09 Effort abandoned to recall Assemblyman Adams -- The Orange County-based effort to recall Assemblyman Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia, has been abandoned as proponents have decided not to sue to put the recall on the ballot. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 12/24/09 Sonoma County lifts ban on stars and angels -- Some will view it as a Christmas miracle. Others, as a capitulation. DEREK J. MOORE in the Santa Rosa Press -- 12/24/09 Schwarzenegger cool to health bill -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has long championed national health care reform, but now that it is finally advancing, he is raising concerns about the $3 billion annual price tag he says it will cost California. Rebecca Kimitch in the San Bernardino Sun -- 12/24/09 Skelton: Stanford football hero warms up for a statewide run -- Thirteen years ago, Damon Dunn ran 93 yards to score a touchdown against USC. Now the Irvine Republican, who had never voted until this year, is running for secretary of state. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Ballot measure would block raids on local government -- Angered by a series of raids on local funds by state government, a coalition of local government groups kicked off a signature-gathering effort Wednesday with a ballot measure that would thwart any future raids. Steven Harmon in the Contra Costa Times -- 12/24/09 CalBuzz: Stocking Stuffer: From eMeg Elf to Parking Rage -- Frankly, we don’t give a damn that the boys at Craigslist think Meg Whitman is a “monster,” cuz she’s the only candidate for governor classy enough to send us an eCard for the holidays. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 12/24/09
New home sales fall to historic lows -- California's housing starts remained on track for the worst annual performance in more than a half century during November, with builders pulling permits to start just 2,540 single-family homes, condominiums and apartments, the California Building Industry Association reported Wednesday. Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/24/09 Hiltzik: Internet sales tax scofflaws cheat state -- Officials calculate that online shoppers who have failed to pay California's (100% legal) user tax owe the state more than $1 billion. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Personal income rises again, but spending is restrained -- Providing more evidence that the U.S. economy has turned a corner, personal income grew in November at the fastest rate in six months and is poised to accelerate in 2010, according to new government and private reports. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Blueprint for local recovery -- With Los Angeles County struggling with double-digit unemployment, the Economic Development Corp. on Wednesday released its first-ever strategic plan calling for a more business-friendly environment to spur jobs. Troy Anderson in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 12/24/09
Fensterwald: If you can’t beat ‘em, ban ‘em -- It’s certainly no surprise that the United Teachers Los Angeles, the teachers union in Los Angeles Unified, would sue to thwart charter schools from participating in the district’s bold program of reform. John Fensterwald educatedguess.org -- 12/24/09 CSUF hit by tidal wave of applications -- Cal State Fullerton, which was forced to offer fewer course sections this past fall due to the state budget crisis, received a record 56,132 applications for admission for fall 2010, with especially heavy demand coming from prospective undergraduates. Gary Robbins in the Orange County Register -- 12/24/09 UCSF says it didn't mislead state on finances -- UCSF officials have responded to concerns raised by a U.S. senator about the university's finances, refuting claims that administrators made misleading or inaccurate statements to state leaders. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/24/09 Teachers rank high on well-being index -- Despite the occasional spit ball and relatively low pay, teachers say they are happier and healthier than those in a wide array of professions - topping everyone from executives and business owners to farmers in contentment, according to a Gallup survey released today. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/24/09
Scientists to review state water decisions -- Fifteen high-powered scientists have begun a politically sensitive review of key California water decisions. Michael Doyle in the Fresno Bee -- 12/24/09 Obama administration wades into California water gridlock -- The Obama administration on Tuesday announced it would commit six federal agencies to work on California's "full-blown water crisis." Mark Grossi Fresno Bee News Blog -- 12/24/09 Berkeley's plan for plastic bag ban part of larger movement -- Robin Wenrick forgot her reusable bags, so she ended up with a passel of plastic ones on a recent visit to Safeway. Doug Oakley in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/24/09 Wood fires may be banned on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Bay Area -- The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is asking residents to check before burning any wood fires on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day since predicted light winds and cool air may create unhealthy air conditions across the region. The item is in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/24/09
Uninsured family has a lot at stake in the healthcare debate -- A son's medical crisis is enough to destroy their financial security. Lisa Girion in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Anaheim case may play key role in regulating medical marijuana -- State appellate court in Santa Ana studies Legislature's intent in outlining ways marijuana could be provided. John Hoeffel in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Maine planning to consider cell phone cancer warning -- A Maine legislator wants to make the state the first to require cell phones to carry warnings that they can cause brain cancer, although there is no consensus among scientists that they do, and industry leaders dispute the claim. Glenn Adams AP -- 12/24/09 More problems found with two southwest Riverside County hospitals -- Two southwest Riverside County hospitals already at risk of losing federal funding got more bad news recently with the release of an inspection report criticizing the quality of patient care. JEFF HORSEMAN in the Riverside Press -- 12/24/09
Judge allows DNA sampling for felony arrestees -- A federal judge refused Wednesday to block a voter-approved California law requiring anyone arrested on a felony charge to provide DNA samples, saying genetic information is similar to fingerprints and helps police solve crimes. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/24/09 State's computer boss gets cyber security grant -- The state's top computer boss is getting an early Christmas gift: $4.7 million in federal funds for cyber security projects and a statewide digital mapping system to improve emergency incident management. Andrew McIntosh in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/24/09 Los Angeles sees sharp rise in red-light camera revenue -- Since late '07, monthly income grew from about $200,000 to about $400,000, according to estimates. Last year, the city more than doubled the fines it charges for violations. Rich Connell in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Tiger Woods’ charities raised $50 million. What now? -- The golf star’s Orange County-based nonprofit foundations raised more than $50 million and spent more than $40 million last year, and got high marks from charity watchdogs (despite criticism that glitzy golf tournaments with millions in prize booty aren’t traditional nonprofit endeavors). Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 12/24/09 Chevron agrees to pay $45.5 million in settlement -- San Ramon-based Chevron Corp. will pay $45.5 million to resolve claims that it underpaid natural gas royalties to the government and Native Americans, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. AP -- 12/24/09 Cost of getting married in L.A. County is going up -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved an increase in the cost of a marriage license to $90 from $70. The cost of a so-called confidential license will rise to $85 from $70. Shelby Grad in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Los Angeles crime rates plunge despite weak economy -- Homicides decline to levels not seen since the 1960s. 'It's a different world,' Chief Charlie Beck says. Joel Rubin and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/24/09 Taking Hold in Silicon Valley, a Ping-Pong Boom -- Young people who were serious about table tennis used to have to make the trip to Beijing, Stockholm or Moscow to train with world-class coaches. Now they go no farther than this Silicon Valley suburb. PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN in the New York Times -- 12/24/09
An Odd Couple Takes Aim at Rahm Emanuel -- Ideological opposites Jane Hamsher and Grover Norquist have found common ground in a common enemy: Rahm Emanuel, the influential White House chief of staff. JACKIE CALMES in the New York Times -- 12/24/09
In a sleep-deprived Senate, a punch-drunk holiday -- As he kicked off another day in the interminable Senate health-care debate, a weary Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) drew inspiration from the noted political strategist Rodney King. Dana Milbank in the Washington Post -- 12/24/09 |
