California's teacher shortage is poised to grow under Gov. Brown's recent budget proposal.
FERMIN LEAL: "In his proposed budget for the coming year, Gov. Jerry Brown indicated that he wants California to continue addressing the statewide shortage of qualified teachers with ongoing initiatives rather than by funding new reforms."
"The initial 2017-18 budget Brown released last week doesn’t include any new money to combat the state’s teacher shortage. Instead, it highlights the $35 million in programs allocated this year to help school districts recruit new teachers."
"No additional investments are being proposed in the governor’s budget, given both the investments that were made (in the 2016-17 budget) as well as the fiscal pressures now facing the state,” said H.D Palmer, a spokesman for the Department of Finance."
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Speaking of the budget, the feds are intervening in the Bullet Train project, prompting plans for Congressional hearings.
L.A. Times' RALPH VARTABEDIAN: "A confidential estimate by federal regulators that the cost of California’s bullet train project could jump significantly has prompted critics of the $64-billion Los Angeles-to-San Francisco rail effort to call for new investigations and proponents to disclaim reports that project costs are growing."
"The federal estimate has been the most troubling assessment of the rail project to surface, particularly as it was produced by the Federal Railroad Administration, an agency that has strongly supported the state. The estimate, formally a risk analysis that was presented to top state rail authority executives on Dec. 1 in Washington, D.C., was obtained by The Times from individuals close to the project and disclosed last week."
"State officials have accused The Times of mischaracterizing its findings. In a letter to members of the Legislature, the California High-Speed Rail Authority accused The Times of incorrectly using internal deliberations to suggest cost overruns and delays that are not borne out by facts."
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OPINION: Latino voting bloc in California could see a spike in registered voters if a new law involving renewed driver's licenses is utilized.
CHIQUI CARTAGENA in Capitol Weekly: "A new law went into effect on Jan. 1 that will automatically register to vote millions of people who are getting (or renewing) a driver’s license in California, unless they opt out. This law is expected to dramatically increase the number registered voters in California and many political experts believe it will have huge implications for future political campaigns as it will most probably help close the gap between eligible and registered voters among Latino and Asian communities, who have traditionally lagged behind in voter registration and participation."
"When the law was passed in June of 2016, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said he expected millions of new voters on the rolls in the State of California for the 2018 election cycle."
"But we will probably start seeing the effects of this new law this year, as close local and state-level races may be swung one way or another by greater participation of Latinos who are now the single largest ethnic group in California. While we don’t know entirely how Californians voted in the 2016 presidential elections yet, we do know that the Latino turnout in the 2016 primaries was significantly higher than in the past."
Ever wondered what the term 'sanctuary city' actually means, or what its implications are for your economic well being? Here are some answers.
KPCC's LESLIE BERESTEIN ROJAS: "Cities across Southern California have named themselvesimmigrant-friendly "sanctuary cities" as they take a stand against President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to deport millions living in the country illegally."
"But their actions are not without risks -- political, legal and budgetary. So what should taxpayers know when their officials declare their cities as sanctuaries?"
"First, there's no consensus on what a sanctuary city means: sometimes it refers to cities where police don't ask about the immigration status of people they encounter. Los Angeles, for example, has a policy known as Special Order No. 40 — it states officers "shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person."
Sen. Feinstein's reelection plans are still ambiguous, while some ranking state Democrats are left wondering about their careers.
L.A. Times' SEEMA MEHTA: "As top California Democrats plot their future career moves, a critical piece of information is missing: Will Sen. Dianne Feinstein seek reelection? Speculation about the 83-year-old senator’s plans took on new urgency this year, as ambitious statewide politicians decide whether to run for governor with Gov. Jerry Brown termed out."
"News that Feinstein was fitted with a pacemaker last week reignited the parlor game, with California political circles discussing anew what the procedure might mean for the veteran lawmaker as she evaluates her options."
“Historically, she has kept people guessing about her plans,” said Darry Sragow, a Democratic strategist who managed Feinstein’s first statewide campaign, an unsuccessful run for governor in 1990. “My experience has been that she prefers to play her cards very close to her chest … and now the consequence of that is very significant because California is a gigantic place with a lot of very politically competent and ambitious players who really don’t have a lot of places to go.”
State Farm faces possible billion-dollar litigation due to the company's lethargic pace of premium reduction.
L.A. Times' JAMES RUFUS KOREN: "The California Department of Insurance says State Farm is not moving fast enough to lower its rates for homeowners and renters and it could face billions of dollars in fines if it doesn’t speed up the process."
"The threat of hefty fines, sent Friday to State Farm, escalates an increasingly bitter fight between the department and the Bloomington, Ill., insurance giant."
"Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones ordered a rate cut as of Dec. 8, but State Farm has challenged that order in court and does not plan on cutting rates until Feb. 13."
The looming threat of massive job loss and health insurance depravation related to the GOP-led Obamacare repeal has galvanized Democrats into a defensive position.
Daily News' SUSAN ABRAM: "Hoping to mobilize a groundswell of support to save the Affordable Care Act from repeal, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi joined her Southern California congressional colleagues Monday to urge doctors, nurses, hospital officials and patients to step up and fight for the health care law."
"Her appeal was made during a gathering inside downtown Los Angeles’ California Endowment, a nonprofit organization that works to link people with health care. It also came on the day when the nation observed the 88th birthday and work of civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."
"King once said: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”
California's Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a pioneer in stem cell research, faces a tumultuous time if voters don't approve of more funding.
Sacramento Bee's DAVID JENSEN: "Evangelina Padilla-Vaccaro – a pink bow in her hair – was likely the first 6-year-old ever to address the leaders of California’s $3 billion stem cell research program.
“Thank you,” she whispered."
"Her mother said more: “Thank you for keeping my family complete.” Alysia Padilla-Vaccaro’s voice cracked, and tears flowed on that cool December morning at the meeting at an Oakland hotel."
"Evangelina had much to be thankful for. She was born with “bubble baby” syndrome, which meant that she had no functioning immune system. Scientist Donald Kohn of UCLA cured her of the rare affliction by using her own blood stem cells to alter a troublesome gene. It was an experimental treatment not readily available to the public at large. Kohn’s research has been supported with nearly $52 million by the state stem cell agency, known formally as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine."
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How do we get rid of special interest groups buying out down-ballot elections with private money? 'Make the public pay for the campaigns instead,' according to Los Angeles Mike Bonin.
L.A. Times' EMILY ALPERT REYES and DAVID ZAHNISER: "A Los Angeles lawmaker called Monday for the city to move to a public financing system for local elections, saying it would help address fears that wealthy donors buy influence at City Hall."
"Councilman Mike Bonin said he wants voters to consider a proposal next year that would allow candidates to rely on taxpayer money rather than private contributions to fund their campaigns."
"Under the voluntary system, candidates seeking public funding would have to gather a minimum number of small donations from their constituents to show that their campaigns are viable, then forgo any further fundraising. They would also have to promise not to heavily bankroll their own campaigns."
One of Los Angeles' former ranking Sheriff officials has surrendered himself to federal agents to serve a 5 year prison sentence.
L.A. Times' JOEL RUBIN: "Former Los Angeles County Undersheriff Paul Tanaka surrendered Monday to federal authorities in Colorado to begin serving a five-year prison sentence for conspiracy and obstructing an FBI investigation into deputy jail abuses."
"Tanaka, who as the second-in-command ran day-to-day operations of the largest sheriff’s department in the nation, began serving his term at a minimum-security camp in Englewood, Colo., said his lawyer, H. Dean Steward."
"“Paul is a very stoic guy, and he continues in that vein throughout all of this,” Steward said. “We’re all deeply saddened by it on the defense team, but … he showed up on time as promised.”
SoCal saw a decline in venture capital investments into startup companies last year.
Daily Bulletin's JONATHAN LANSNER: "Southern California’s flow of venture capital — lifeblood to many young, growing businesses — slowed last year from 2015’s post-recession high."
"Dow Jones VentureSource reports 324 venture capital deals were made in the Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego areas last year vs. 380 in 2015. Last year’s deals were worth $5.7 billion regionally, off 16 percent vs. 2015."
"That isn’t as disappointing as you might think. The region’s $12.5 billion take of venture capital in 2015-16 almost equaled the funding received by emerging local companies in the previous four years. And the 2016’s local decline was far smaller than the nationwide plunge."
Traveling to the moon isn't enough for a company to receive the first ever federal approval for civilian space travel: Moon Express plans to mine the lunar satellite as well.
Silicon Beat's ETHAN BARON: "The first company to get federal approval for a trip to the moon now has enough money for a launch and plans to blast off later this year, a new report said."
"Mountain View’s Moon Express intends to mine the moon, along with pursuing research opportunities, it has said."
"In the immediate future, we envision bringing precious resources, metals, and moon rocks back to Earth,” ” company co-founder and chairman Naveen Jain said on the firm’s website."
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With great cannabis comes great responsibility, which many vendors recently learned at the Emerald Cup after being disqualified for trying to pass the judges' muster with pesticide-laced products.
Press Democrat's JULIE JOHNSON: "The Emerald Cup has brought an audience of tens of thousands to the Sonoma County fairgrounds each of the last four years, and the contest’s environmental focus sets it apart from other cannabis competitions."
"But this year, pesticides upended many of the winners of the three-day marijuana festival in December known for its focus on organic and sustainable outdoor farming."
"About 25 percent of 263 samples in the concentrates categories submitted from producers across the state were disqualified, mostly because they tested positive for pesticides, according to the event’s official laboratory, Santa Cruz-based SC Labs."
A Citrus Heights school principle complicit in the molestation of female students has avoided a placement on Megan's list, much to the umbrage of concerned citizens.
Sacramento Bee's BRAD BRANAN: "For four years, the case of Robert B. Adams made headlines in Sacramento. The state shut down his K-6 Creative Frontiers School in Citrus Heights over allegations that as principal, he sexually abused young girls during a 15-year period. He was arrested on multiple molestation counts."
"Adams later pleaded no contest to charges that he molested six girls, ages 4 to 8."
"So why is his name nowhere to be found on the state’s Megan’s Law sex offender registry?"
Victims of the murderous rampage of a lonewolf gunman who terrified Istanbul on New Years' Eve may get at least some closure: The shooter allegedly was apprehended by police Monday morning, confessing his crime.
AP's MEHMET GUZEL: "Turkish police captured the gunman who carried out the deadly New Year's nightclub attack in Istanbul, with officials saying Tuesday that he's an Uzbekistan national who trained in Afghanistan and confessed to the massacre."
"The man was being questioned by police, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters in Ankara. Yildirim expressed hope that the interrogation would unveil the "forces" behind the attack, which killed 39 people and has already been claimed by the Islamic State group."
"Hundreds of people were gathered at the swanky Reina nightclub to celebrate the end of a tumultuous 2016 only to become the first victims of 2017. The gunman shot a police officer and a civilian outside the club, before storming the club."
At least one voting bloc is waiting for Inauguration Day with special interest: Latinos.
L.A. Times' BRITTNY MEJIA: "Ana Corona came from Mexico to California in 1967, following her father, brothers and sisters and joining millions who would live in the United States illegally."
"Corona watched as family members got deported and escaped deportation herself. From the moment she crossed the border at age 14, her father reminded her and her siblings that they were in a precarious situation and that, by law, this was not their country."
"One day, if they navigated the gantlet of being in the country illegally to become American, they should be thankful, her father said."
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Southern California prepares for a deluge this week after Northern California finds respite from the lengthy drought.
L.A. Times' EMILY ALPERT REYES: "A string of increasingly intense storms are expected to hit Los Angeles County this week, according to the National Weather Service."
"Meteorologist Scott Sukup said the region should remain dry for a few days until the first storm rolls in Wednesday night, delivering between a quarter of an inch and three-quarters of an inch of rainfall."
"The second storm, which is expected to be stronger, is expected to begin Thursday night and last through Friday, and the third could arrive Sunday and continue through Monday, Sukup said. Each could shower the region with up to an inch and a half of rainfall."