Governor Jerry Brownwas inaugurated for a historic fourth term yesterday, setting his agenda for the next four years in a 23 minute speech. Brown cited lofty goals, including reduction of the state’s dependence on nonrenewable energy. From Judy Lin at the AP:
“Brown, a Democrat, specifically called for the state to increase renewable electricity sources, reduce petroleum use in vehicles, double the energy efficiency of existing buildings and make heating fuels cleaner by 2030.
“California already is known as a leader in far-reaching environmental laws, but Brown said existing efforts were not enough.
“The current state goal calls for 33 percent of energy use to come from renewable sources by 2020. As of last year, nearly 25 percent of California's retail electricity came from renewable energy, not including large dams, the state energy commission said.
"’We must demonstrate that reducing carbon is compatible with an abundant economy and human well-being,’ Brown said during his inauguration speech. ‘So far, we have been able to do that.’"
KQED has the complete text of the speech, along with annotations from reporters from Capital Public Radio, KPCC and KQED.
Pundits, politicians and reporters were quick to weigh in. Jim Miller at the Sacramento Bee collected a batch of responses here.
George Skelton’s take, here at the Los Angeles Times.
John Myers of KQED has his report here.
David Siders and Christoper Cadelago’s story here, at the Bee.
Today, the governor heads to Fresno to attend the groundbreaking for the state’s $68 billion high speed rail system – the first in the nation. From Reid Wilson at the Washington Post:
“The groundbreaking ‘really marks the transition from all the planning and appropriations and legal challenges and the design work to continuous construction,’ said Dan Richard, chairman of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the project’s governing body. ‘It’s a significant milestone.”’
Meanwhile, Central Valley farm bureaus blasted the project, alleging that the California High Speed Rail Authority has failed to meet its obligations under a legal settlement. From Tim Sheehan at the Fresno Bee:
“The notice of default, in a letter from the farm bureaus’ attorney Jason Holder to the rail agency, came on the eve of Tuesday’s formal groundbreaking for the initial construction of the controversial project. The farm organizations’ lawsuit was filed in mid-2012, after the rail authority’s board approved much of the 60-mile Merced-Fresno route. It was one of several lawsuits challenging the authority’s environmental analysis of the section, all of which were settled by the spring of 2013.
“Among the key provisions of the April 2013 settlement was a requirement that the rail authority make up for the loss of farmland to the railroad right of way by providing permanent preservation of similar-quality farmland elsewhere in the region. The authority was also to offer to buy any leftover parcels under 20 acres when the rail line divides an owner’s property.
“Monday’s notice asserts five specific violations of the settlement, by either the rail authority or its right-of-way contractors…”
Back in Sacramento, the Fair Political Practices Commission released their annual report Monday, noting that prosecutions for money laundering have more than doubled in the past year. Capitol Weekly’s John Howard has the story.
“The Fair Political Practices Commission, the five-member panel that enforces California’s campaign finance laws, said ‘prosecutions of money laundering violations were at their highest level ever in 2014 and have more than doubled since 2013.’ Also, prosecutions of ‘serious campaign cases were at their highest level in 2014,’ the FPPC noted in its annual report, which was released Monday…
“The FPPC said it closed more than 1,000 cases “with proven violations,” which included a record 332 cases with stipulated agreements and some 673 warning letters.”
It’s déjà vu all over again. Back in October we reported the case of a southern California woman who had to be rescued after trying to sneak down her former flames’ chimney – and no, that’s not a metaphor.
Last week, rescue workers were called to a Woodcrest man’s home to extricate his naked ex-girlfriend who had become lodged in the chimney while apparently trying to pull a “Special Santa.” Yahoo has the story (and pictures.)
“According to Riverside County officials, the 35-year-old woman, who was not identified, tried to enter the Woodcrest, Calif., home where her ex-boyfriend and three children live through the front door early Saturday morning, but it was locked. So she climbed on the roof, stripped off her clothes and tried to shimmy down the chimney.”
“Shortly before 5 a.m., her estranged boyfriend, Tony Hernandez, said he heard the woman crying for help.
“’She said, ‘I’m trapped in the chimney,’” Hernandez told CBS Los Angeles.”
Hernandez attempted to get her out of the chimney, but was soon forced to call an emergency crew who rescued the naked woman after dismantling part of the chimney.
“Hernandez says the woman doesn't live with him and isn't allowed to be around their children: ‘I don't like the way she's acting or what she's doing. That's not good for my kids.’"
We’d call that an understatement.