Pacific coast communities would be more devastated by a major earthquake than researchers previously thought.
Rong-Gong Lin II and Rosanna Xia report for the Los Angeles Times: “If a 9.0 earthquake were to strike along California's sparsely populated North Coast, it would have a catastrophic ripple effect.”
“A giant tsunami created by the quake would wash away coastal towns, destroy U.S. 101 and cause $70 billion in damage over a large swath of the Pacific coast. More than 100 bridges would be lost, power lines toppled and coastal towns isolated. Residents would have as few as 15 minutes notice to flee to higher ground, and as many as 10,000 would perish.”
California’s legislative lawmakers could be getting another boost in their salaries.
Jeremy B. White reports in the Sacramento Bee: “The California Citizens Compensation Commission meets at Sacramento City Hall at 10 a.m. today to review the data and debate whether legislators’ pay is commensurate to their work. The commission last year voted to give elected officials a 5 percent raise, reversing recession-driven pay cuts.”
“There’s no indication the commission will make any changes this year. Thomas Dalzell, chair of the commission, said he would like to defer any commitment until a follow-up meeting in May or June.”
President Obama is avoiding sides in the recent public scuffle between Sen. Dianne Feinstein and the CIA.
Kathleen Hennessey reports for the Los Angeles Times: “In his first public remarks on the clash, Obama tried not to take sides in the dispute that has erupted over whether Senate staffers improperly removed a sensitive document from CIA files, as the CIA claims, or whether the CIA improperly searched computers that the Senate staffers had used to investigate the agency's now-defunct interrogation and detention program, as Feinstein insists.”
There is a long list of hopefuls vying for retiring Rep. Henry Waxman’s congressional seat.
Jean Merl reports for the Los Angeles Times: “Twenty-one would-be successors to longtime Rep. Henry Waxman completed the paperwork to run for the seat he is giving up when his term ends, according to Los Angeles County elections officials.”
“The field to succeed Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) includes at least 10 Democrats, four Republicans, one Green Party member, one Libertarian and four candidates unaffiliated with any party. The party affiliation, or lack thereof, of one candidate remained unclear Wednesday night.”
Campaign manager for a chief Republican gubernatorial contender announced she is leaving the race.
Seema Mehta reports for the Los Angeles Times: “Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly brushed off the departure of his campaign manager on Wednesday, saying a separation had been in the works because their styles did not mesh.”
A costly initiative campaign is brewing for the November ballot.
Samantha Gallegos reports in Capitol Weekly: “It’s not even on the ballot yet, but rival forces are gathering – again — over a plan to lift the decades-old cap on pain and suffering damages in medical malpractice cases.”
“The proposal, aimed at the November ballot, also cracks down on drug- and alcohol-impaired physicians and seeks to curb over-prescribing of medications.”
After mishandling thousands of claims, state officials ordered a formal audit of the Employment Development Department.
Marc Lifsher reports for the Los Angeles Times: “By a unanimous vote, a legislative committee directed the state auditor to find out the reasons that administrative judges are overturning more than half of EDD caseworkers' initial denials of claims.”
An ex-city councilman faces hefty penalties for embezzling money from a local farmers market.
Brittany Levine reports for the Los Angeles Times: “Former Glendale City Councilman John Drayman is set to spend a year behind bars and pay roughly $305,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to three felonies related to embezzling from a local farmers market.”
“He also agreed to pay about $14,000 in restitution to the California Franchise Tax Board. He is scheduled to return to Los Angeles County Superior Court on April 7 and will likely serve his sentence in County Jail. He will also be given five years' probation.”
In the City of Long Beach, the Lowenthal name dominates the ballot.
Dan Walters writes for the Sacramento Bee: “An even odder three-way situation is shaping up in Long Beach this year, because Congressman Alan Lowenthal will be seeking re-election while his former wife, Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, runs for mayor and their former daughter-in-law, City Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, runs for the Assembly.”
Despite law enforcement’s closing down of dispensaries, Los Angeles tax dollars are booming from medicinal marijuana sales.
Rick Orlov reports for the LA Daily News: “Even as the city of Los Angeles launched a new effort to close pot shops, it is benefiting by $8.6 million in business taxes collected from the medical marijuana dispensaries over the past three years.”
“City Finance Director Antoinette Christovale reported the revenue this week after City Attorney Mike Feuer and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck announced plans to begin advising landlords of the risks of renting out space to possibly illegal shops.”
Newsrooms could start saving dough by using unmanned aircrafts.
Chuck Harvey reports for The Business Journal: “The Fresno Bee is testing a small drone aircraft to see if it can be used for aerial photography of accidents, fires, farmland, lakes and waterways.”
“If proven successful, it would be less expensive to operate and more readily available than a helicopter.”