Despite a glitchy website, California Attorney General Kamala Harris became the first politico to launch a bid for retiring senator Barbara Boxer’s seat. Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer and former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are reported to be mulling their own bids. As you might expect, the story got lots of coverage: Christopher Cadelago at the Bee, Michael R. Blood and Kevin Freking at AP, and Seema Mehta at the Los Angeles Times.
“In an email titled ‘Join me on a new journey,’ Harris announced her plan to supporters and immediately began raising money for a campaign that could cost tens of millions of dollars, depending on who else joins the field.
"’Your support has been crucial to me every step of the way, and I'm asking you to help me build a grassroots campaign that reaches every community of California," Harris wrote.
“She repeatedly referred to herself as a fighter, an echo of the persona that has long defined Boxer, who announced last week that she would not seek reelection in 2016.”
Speaking of elections, Governor Jerry Brown has set the dates for special elections to replace legislators who left their state seats to assume office in congress.
From Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee: “Voters in the East Bay’s 7th, Orange County’s 37th, and the High Desert’s 21st Senate districts will go to the polls for a special primary ballot March 17. There will be a runoff May 19 in any race where no candidate receives a majority of the vote.
“The seats became vacant last week after their former occupants – former state senators Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Nigel, and Steve Knight, R-Lancaster, respectively – assumed congressional seats they won in November.”
A new bill requiring all public high schools to offer classes in ethnic studies was introduced last week by Asm. Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville. The author says the bill is “going to take a lot of work…"
Samantha Clark in the Santa Cruz Sentinel: “The bill comes after San Francisco Unified School District recently approved the expansion of ethnic studies courses. The El Rancho Board of Education in Southern California and Los Angeles Unified School District previously made the classes a graduation requirement…”
“The state boasts one of the largest and most diverse student populations in the country. Of its 6.2 million public school students, 75 percent are nonwhite. About a third of Santa Cruz County's students are white.
"’I support the philosophy behind it because I think we need to have a better understanding of all cultures,’ Santa Cruz County schools Superintendant Michael Watkins said.
A “scathing report” from State Auditor Elaine Howle blasts the California Department of Developmental Services for inconsistency in the assessment of fees, “unnecessary delays, lack of documentation, incorrect calculations, and inconsistent staff interpretations.” From David Siders at the Sacramento Bee:
“The state is “woefully inefficient and inconsistent” in its oversight of parental fees for 24-hour, out-of-home care for disabled children in California, leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars unbilled and charging some parents with similar incomes more or less than others, the state auditor said Tuesday…”
“The auditor estimated the department fails to bill for fees ranging from $740,000 to $1.1 million annually.
“The agency could not provide documentation to support more than 40 percent of fee assessments the auditor reviewed, and it incorrectly calculated many other parents’ fees, the audit found.”
The Republican National Committee is holding its winter meeting in San Diego this week. Speakers include former (and possibly future) GOP presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Perry and Wisconsin governor Scott Walker.
From Michael Smolens at the San Diego Union Tribune: “The RNC said Romney, who owns a house in La Jolla, will address party officials Friday night at a committee event aboard the USS Midway Museum docked in San Diego Bay.
“Earlier that day, another prospective 2016 presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, is expected to appear at an RNC luncheon at the Hotel del Coronado, where the winter meetings are being held. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer will also be featured at the luncheon...”
And, in Oakland, Michigan, a county prosecutor has begun an investigation into whether or not snake enthusiast Jamie Guarino’s habit of allowing his 13-foot Burmese Python to “play“ with his 14 month-old daughter constitutes child abuse.
From Carol Hopkins at the Oakland Press: “The prosecutor’s office became aware of the family having a 13-foot-long Burmese python through recent media reports.
“The reports note that owner, Jamie Guarino of White Lake, posted a video of his then-14-month-old daughter Alyssa playing with the python while he filmed it…”
“’I was showing the simple fact that snakes are not evil creatures. They can be a loving pet, despite their bad reputation,’ he stated.”
Yes, you read that correctly: he said, “loving pet.”
“’My daughter was in absolutely no danger,’ Guarino said in the video.
“’When people see this clip, they mostly react with fear or negativity, and I don’t understand why. As you can see, the snake is just roaming around. It has no interest in biting her, choking or swallowing her.”
I think we all know what Charles Darwin would have to say about this.